CANMORE – There is a healthy competition happening between the pipes of the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s top team’s goalie tandem.
As the old saying “iron sharpens iron” goes, the Canmore Eagles’ Hudson Sedo and Alex Scheiwiller have been getting the best out of each other as the local Junior A team thrives early.
The Eagles (10-2-1) are No. 1 in league standings and ranked 10th overall in the CJHL this week following back-to-back victories against the Fort McMurray Oil Barons (Oct. 19-20), with Sedo (6-0-0) and Scheiwiller (4-2-1) picking up Ws up north.
“He’s been pushing me every day in practice and I’m pushing him,” said Scheiwiller. “I think it’s good, you know, I go in, get a win, and then he goes and kills it and gets a win so … it’s been really good competition.”
No clear line has been drawn on the starting spot, as the pair split games until seemingly further notice.
However, having a net battle in Canmore has been a good problem to have, said head coach and general manager Andrew Milne.
While each goalie has shown signs of being No. 1, Milne said they aren’t complacent with their current spot either.
“It’s a situation where they’re able to stay competitive but also they don’t have to wear the entire team on their shoulders, like if one guy does get cold, the other guy can step in and vice versa, I think that gives confidence to both those guys,” said Milne.
In the second game of a back-to-back against the Oil Barons (Oct. 19-20), Scheiwiller, who played the night before, shared a few tips on what to look for with his goalie partner.
“Alex has been very supportive of me and kind of having the experience that he’s had in the league, he’s able to share some knowledge with me,” said Sedo.
“We’re great friends off the ice and on the ice and I really couldn’t ask for a better goalie partner in my first year in the league.”
So far, rookie goaltender Sedo has had a remarkable season, currently holding the league’s top stats in goals against average (1.50) and save percentage (.946).
Although, the 18-year-old netminder tries not to put too much weight on the stat sheet.
“Every now and then I’ll take a peek, but other than that, my mindset is just pretty much stopping the next puck,” said Sedo.
Scheiwiller, the 19-year-old veteran of the pair, has a 3.08 GAA and 0.902 save percentage.
Numbers-wise, Scheiwiller said he wants to pick them up, but he realizes if the team keeps winning then his numbers will go up too.
“I think I’ve done a good job in some areas [such as] bailing guys out and making a lot of saves in the third or, you know, the five on threes and just being able to keep games tight and win close ones,” said Scheiwiller.
The Eagles have almost two weeks off before playing three in a row and six games in nine nights, starting in Bonnyville and Camrose against the Pontiacs (Nov. 1-2) and the Kodiaks (Nov. 3).
The Eagles are back home Nov. 5 against the Oil Barons, where they’ll continue to try and remain the top dog, or rather, bird of prey, of the league.
“We sort of have to do things a little differently now that we’re maybe sitting in that position where I think other teams are gonna give us their best every night,” said Milne. “We know we can’t take nights off and we have to focus on making sure we’re playing at our best every night and ... making sure our preparation is as good as we can get it.”
