The Olds Grizzlys earned four points during games last week, with a 5-3 win over the Camrose Kodiaks on Oct. 25 and a 2-1 victory over the Drayton Valley Thunder on Oct. 22. The Grizzlys were defeated 2-1 on Oct. 26 by the Calgary Canucks.
The four points give the Grizzlys 16 points and they are tied for fifth with the Calgary Mustangs and are one point behind the Canmore Eagles in the Alberta Junior Hockey League's south division.
The Grizzlys had good scoring chances against the Canucks through the first 10 minutes on Oct. 26 at the Olds Sports Complex, taking the play to the Canucks. The Canucks replied with a better second half of the period and got the game's first goal at 13:08 when Calgary's Derek Thorogood scored on the power play after the Grizzlys were called on a hooking penalty.
Christopher Gerrie evened the score in the second with a power-play marker of his own at 5:59. In the third, Trent Geiger pulled the Canucks ahead, again on the power play, with a goal at 9:39.
The Grizzlys pulled netminder Ethan Jemieff with 1:01 remaining in the game and despite the pressure applied with a six-man attack they were unable to get the equalizer.
The Grizzlys outshot the Canucks 37-23 and went one for six on the power play, while the Canucks had two power-play goals in eight tries.
Following the game, Gerrie said inconsistency has plagued the team in the last few games.
“We came out with a rough start for sure. We have to play more consistent. That's our problem right now; we have to come out harder. We're making too many mistakes,” he said.
Gerrie said despite the wins against the Kodiaks and the Thunder, the Grizzlys still need a better effort.
“Honestly, I think we struggled to win those two. We haven't been catching breaks lately, and those couple games we caught our breaks and (Oct. 26) we didn't,” he said.
Brett Hopfe, the Grizzlys' head coach, said based on the Grizzlys' effort in the third period against the Canucks, the team deserved a better fate. The home side outshot the visitors 20-3 in the final 20 minutes of play.
“These guys have to learn that it takes a full 60 minutes to win a hockey game and it's almost a good thing that we lost that game so we can learn from it and move on from here,” he said.
Gerrie, currently playing on a line with veteran captain Spencer Dorowicz and fellow rookie Kyle Star, said he is especially learning from the experience Dorowicz brings to the team. The three players lead the Grizzlys in scoring with Dorowicz having 27 points, Gerrie, 19 and Star, 18.
“Spencer's probably our best player for sure and he's really taught me the ways of this league. Coming into this year, he's really showed me how to play consistent and he's a great guy on and off the ice. Obviously Star's a great help to me; he's got a great shot and he's really helped me come in this league and be successful,” Gerrie said.
The good news from the Oct. 26 game was that the Grizzlys raised an estimated $650 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in Calgary.
The money was raised through donations and the selling of pink T-shirts worn by Grizzlys players through a silent auction.
