This Friday, the Olds Grizzlys have a tough challenge: facing off against the Oilers in Okotoks.
As of late last week, the Oilers were 36 points ahead of the cellar-dwelling Grizzlys in the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Viterra South Division. The Oilers were in third place in the eight-team division.
But head coach Joe Murphy is undaunted.
He says his squad is not that far away from turning the corner on a tough season. As of late last week, the Grizzlys had amassed four wins, 32 losses and three overtime losses for 11 points in 39 games.
From time to time this season, the team has gone on a roller-coaster ride.
For example, in early December, the Grizzlys showed potential, battling hard in two overtime games, one of which they won.
However, on Dec. 14 they were hammered 6-0 at home by the Camrose Kodiaks, then 7-0 by the lowly Calgary Canucks on Dec. 16, who as of late last week were only two points ahead of the Grizzlys.
Murphy says that's because the team is young. It has 16 first-year players on its roster and they're still learning how to play at the Junior A level.
"I think it really boils down to — it's not immaturity on a personal level, but it's immaturity as a junior hockey player," Murphy says.
"To me, that all boils down to just that — we're not quite there as junior hockey players yet, to embrace that challenge every night.
"We're getting closer. Like, we're playing better hockey. We're just not there yet."
Murphy says to beat teams like the Oilers on Friday night or the Canmore Eagles who come to town on Saturday night, the Grizzlys need to play smart, possessive hockey.
"Just because we are fairly young for junior hockey, one of our challenges has been to stay out of the penalty box," Murphy says.
"And you know, penalties tend to happen when you don't have the puck. So we need to possess the puck better. When we have it, work to keep it. When we have to give it away, work to put it in spots where the other team doesn't have a fresh look at it closer to our net.
"So putting it behind their D-men when we don't have options and take the risk out of our game at key areas of the ice."
"I boil it down to the boys in terms of simple north-south hockey. Get the puck moving north as fast as you can. If you run out of options, try and possess it.
"You know, (it's) akin to punting in football, really. Sometimes you have to punt, and so put it in a spot where their team might not have a great opportunity to get it," he adds.
Murphy says the Grizzlys are learning how to create offensive opportunities.
The problem is a universal one in hockey — the urge to make the really creative "cute" play.
"When our game's away from us, we're trying to be pretty. We're trying to be cute. Again, they talk about that at every level as well; you can tune in to any broadcast and talk about the simplicity of getting pucks to the paint," he says.
Murphy says the Grizzlys have shown the potential to create scoring chances. Often this season they've fired as many as 30 and 35 shots on goal.
"When we're around the 20 mark, that immaturity's kind of popping in a little bit and we're trying to be very cute with that puck and not being north-south.
"Our guys are learning how to create that offence and those secondary scoring changes are pretty important," he adds.
