OLDS — The Olds Grizzlys have their work cut out for them as they hit the road tonight for the first of three road games to close out the month.
They take on the Oilers in Okotoks on Jan. 18. Then on Friday and Saturday they play two back-to-back games in Blackfalds versus the Bulldogs Jan. 21 and Jan. 22.
It’s a challenge for the Grizzlys, who go into that Okotoks contest with a 5-33-4 record.
That streak which began Nov. 13, now stands at 0-17-2. Over that span, the Grizzlys have won five games, lost 33 and recorded four overtime losses.
The Oilers aren’t invincible though. Their record as of Monday, Jan. 17 stood at 20-20-2.
The Bulldogs are also beatable theoretically. Their record as of Jan. 17 stood at 16-25-1.
The loss to the Crusaders marked the end of a five-game homestand for the Grizzlys that began Jan. 4.
(You could call it a six-game homestand if you include their last game before the Christmas break, a 3-2 loss to the Brooks Bandits on Dec. 22).
In the Jan. 15 game, both teams were held scoreless after one period.
However, the Crusaders scored two goals in the second, limiting the Grizzlys to just one tally.
Tyler Green scored the lone goal for the Grizzlys in that period.
The Crusaders sealed the win with two more goals in the third period.
They outshot the Grizzlys 35-23.
Green was the home star.
On Friday, Jan. 14, the Grizzlys lost a tough one, 3-2 to the Fort McMurray Oil Barons at the Sportsplex.
It was looking promising for the Grizzlys in the first period. They went into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead.
That tally included a goal by Logan Neilson, assisted by Tanner Klimpke and Tristan Bauming.
Klimpke scored the first Grizzlys goal, assisted by Kasey Hiemstra and Green.
There was no scoring in the second period.
But in the third, the Oil Barons stormed back with three unanswered goals.
The Grizzlys ended up being outshot 40-17.
The home star in that contest was Klimpke.
On Tuesday, Jan. 11 the Whitecourt Wolverines downed the Grizzlys 7-5 at the Sportsplex.
That game also got off to an encouraging start for the Grizzlys.
The Wolverines scored the first goal at 1:49 of the first period on a powerplay.
But the Grizzlys didn’t wilt. They stormed back and led 3-1 after the first period on two goals by Colby Browne and one by Liam Hughes on the powerplay.
Each team scored two goals in the second period, giving the Grizzlys a 5-2 lead.
Grizzlys markers were scored by Hughes on the powerplay and Green.
However, the Wolverines pulled away in the third period, scoring four goals to seal the deal.
The home star in that game was Hudson Norris.
