Peigan Cowboys vanquished by Brooks in home-opener

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Piikani Chief Gayle Strikes With A Gun drops the puck to open the
first home-game of the season for the Peigan Cowboys
C. Davis photo

The Peigan Cowboys had their first regular season home-game on Saturday night, October 29 at the MCC arena in Pincher Creek.  They were up against the Brooks Black Hawks, a notoriously tough team for them to beat, and after losing 9-5 to Kainai the night before they were hoping for a win.

Friends, family, and council of the Peigan Nation honoured the late
Hugh Crow Eagle during the ceremonies
C. Davis photo

The evening began with MC Wes Crow Shoe introducing the players, followed by Peigan Councillor Maurice Little Wolf, who sang a flag song as the Peigan and Canadian flags were presented.  After that a moment of silence was requested in honour of the late Hugh Crow Eagle before Piikani Chief  Gayle Strikes With A Gun performed the ceremonial puck drop.

After that, it was hard hitting hockey all the way.  The Black Hawks and the Cowboys have little love for one another, and it showed on the ice.  Brooks is a very skilled team, a little younger in general than last year's edition perhaps, but still very efficient at controlling the puck and making the big plays.  The Cowboys scored early, only to be matched by Brooks and then topped by two goals in the last ten minutes of the period.  The Cowboys rebounded, and at the buzzer the score was tied 2-2.

C. Davis photo

A friendly chat interrupts the game
C. Davis photo

This equality in the score wasn't meant to last, and by the early part of the third period Brooks was ahead 3-5, then 3-6.  The big hits kept coming, particularly from the Cowboys, but the Peigan team couldn't quite get their passing play together, whereas Brooks performed like a well-oiled machine.  Unwise penalties by the Cowboys cost them a lot, in fact probably cost them the game.  Brooks sunk 3 goals in rapid succession, nailing the barn door shut behind them, and the score stood at 3-9.  In total the Cowboys gave up 5 or 6 shorthanded goals, with the defence completely failing to kill the penalties, and the team never quite got their first period momentum back. They did manage to score a couple of goals before the final buzzer, but with a score of 10-5 in favour of the Black Hawks, there was probably little joy in the Cowboys' dressing room afterwards.

Caleb Bailey scored twice for the Cowboys, once in the first period and once in the second.  Cowboys Jamie Robertson, Colin Bradbury, and Aaron Eagleson scored once apiece.

Peigan Cowboys fans Sandy Lee Beebe, Nedra Fox
and Tom Fox are regulars at the games
C. Davis photo

In other Ranchland Hockey League action Saturday night, the Fort Macleod Mustangs emerged victorious over Kainai 4-2.

The Peigan Cowboys are currently last in the the standings, with Brooks just above them.  However, the season has just begun, there's plenty of time for the team to pull it together.

Next scheduled games:

On Friday, November 4 the Cowboys will be in Lomond facing the Lomond Lakers.
On Saturday, November 12 they will face the the top-ranked Fort Macleod Mustangs on home ice at the MCC Arena in Pincher Creek.  Game time is 8:30.

C. Davis video

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