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game 3 goes friday night

Innisfail Eagles lead Lacombe General 2-0 in NCHL semi-final

Feb 27, 2026 | 5:51 PM

Innisfail Eagles recap — The Innisfail Eagles are rolling.

After the opening weekend of their North Central Hockey League (NCHL) Semi-Final matchup, the Eagles hold a commanding 2–0 series lead over their QE2 rivals, the Lacombe Generals.

Innisfail opened the series in dominant fashion Saturday night with a 4–0 shutout victory on home ice. They followed it up Sunday afternoon in Lacombe with an equally impressive 6–1 win, setting the tone for the remainder of the series.

It was a complete team effort on behalf of the Eagles with the Generals being unable to contend with the speed and puck movement of the defending champions.

But the headline performance belonged to goaltender Chance Griffith.

Griffith stopped 61 of 62 shots over the weekend, backstopping both victories and frustrating the Generals’ offense at every turn.

“When you give up one goal on 62 shots over a weekend, you’re going to be tough to beat,” said Head Coach and GM Ryan Dodd following Sunday’s win. “Obviously, I’m really happy with where we’re at. But the boys know we can’t take our foot off the gas. The Generals have been in this situation before and they’re not just going to roll over.”

Dodd emphasized that discipline will be key as the series shifts back to Innisfail. “We’re still taking too many penalties for my liking. I’d like to see us stay a little more disciplined. If we can clean that up and maintain the intensity we showed this weekend, I like our chances.”

The series now returns to Innisfail for Game 3 on Friday night, with Game 4 back in Lacombe on Saturday. If necessary, Games 5 through 7 will be played next week.

Upcoming Schedule:

Game 3: Friday, February 27 – 8:00 PM Innisfail Twin Arenas

Game 4: Saturday, February 28 – 7:30 PM Gary Moe Sportsplex, Lacombe

Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, March 3 – Innisfail Twin Arenas (Time TBD)