OLDS — This weekend the Olds Grizzlys head out for a three-game road trip, buoyed by an exciting 2-1 victory at home over the St. Albert Saints Saturday night.
They face the Whitecourt Wolverines this Friday night, the Grande Prairie Storm Saturday night and the Sherwood Park Crusaders Sunday afternoon.
The Grizzlys’ next home game occurs Wednesday, Jan. 17 when they host the Camrose Kodiaks at the Sportsplex. Game time is 7 p.m.
As of Monday, Jan. 8, the Grizzlys record stood at 10-25-2-3 for 25 points in 40 games, three points behind the Drayton Valley Thunder (13-26-2-0, 28 points in 41 games).
Saturday’s win over the Saints was the second of two back-to-back home games for the Grizzlys.
There was no scoring in either the first or second period.
But in the third, Cade Moxham scored his 11th and 12th goals of the season at 16:27 and exactly two minutes later. The first one came on a power play and the second was an empty-netter.
Moxham was assisted by Gage Giblin and Greye Rampton on the first one and by Rampton on the second one.
Former Grizzly Daniel North got the lone goal for the Saints at 19:49 of that period on the power play.
Saints defenceman Tristan Baumung, another former Grizzly, also figured prominently in the game.
Both teams went 1/3 on the power play.
Aidan Comeau stopped 43 of the 44 shots he faced. The Grizzlys fired 20 at Saints goaltender Zac Onyskiw.
The night before, the Grizzlys fell 5-3 to the league-leading Brooks Bandits, also at the Sportsplex.
Ryder Many Grey Horses opened the scoring for the Grizzlys at 9:15 of the first period with his 10th goal of the season, assisted by Adam Lore.
However, the Bandits struck back with two goals; at 13:46 and a power play marker 18:42 of the first period. Then they got another at 4:10 of the second period, the lone goal of that frame, to go ahead 3-1.
Grizzly forward Greye Rampton narrowed the score to 3-2 with a power play marker at the 3:51 mark of the third period, his 12th goal of this campaign, assisted by Many Grey Horses and Cade Moxham.
The Bandits scored again at 18:40 of the final frame to restore their two-goal lead.
The Grizzlys didn’t give up, though.
Braxton Thornton scored his fifth goal of the season at the 18:40 mark, assisted by William Patey.
Comeau was pulled for the extra attacker in an effort to get the equalizer, but the Bandits secured the win with an empty-netter at the 19:44 mark.
The Grizzlys were 1 for 3 on the power play, the Bandits 1 for 4.
The Bandits peppered Comeau with 47 shots on goal. The Grizzlys could only manage 13 shots on Bandits goaltender Johnny Hicks.
