The Olds Grizzlys got a split in weekend games at the Olds Sports Complex with Dylan Hubbs scoring the overtime winner on Saturday against the Drayton Valley Thunder for a 2-1 victory. The previous night, the Grizzlys were beaten by the Alberta Junior Hockey League's top team, the Brooks Bandits, 6-2.
On Saturday, both goals before the overtime winner came in the first period, with the Grizzlys getting on the board first with Mitch Owsley scoring only a minute into the game. Kaidon Tobin replied for the Thunder at 15:39 of the first.
In the second and third periods, defence took over, with close checking limiting scoring chances at both ends.
Hubbs said following the game that the players were confident throughout that if they kept playing hard, it would pay off.
“We just knew it was going to happen, none of us got down after anything that was going on,” he said.
Brett Hopfe, the Grizzlys' head coach, said the game was pretty evenly matched, with not a lot of chances at either end.
“Neither team really gave up a whole lot out there. We may have got outplayed a little bit in the first period, but I think … after the first 10 minutes of the first period, we for the most part dictated the play. Physically, I think we were the (better) team and I think that was the difference,” he said.
The Grizzlys outshot the Thunder 37-20, but Marc Olivier Daigle was equal to the task in nets for the Thunder.
“They've got an unbelievable goalie over there. He played extremely well and I thought he stopped a lot of grade A chances out there,” Hopfe said.
On Friday, Hopfe said a few inopportune penalties cost the Grizzlys, and that proved to be a learning experience against the best team in the league. The Grizzlys had a 2-0 lead until the Bandits scored on the power play at 14:24 of the first. Two more power-play goals late in the second were the start of five straight Bandits goals in 3:54.
“We played hard, I thought. We took … three minutes off and they scored five goals,” Hopfe said.
In the third period, the Grizzlys outshot the Bandits 15-1, but were unable to get any past Michael Fredrick.
“We completely dominated that period, and I felt like we did the same the first period…. It's a learning experience, it's good for us to go through that, because we've learned that we can't take any time off because if you take any time off, especially against a good team like Brooks, they'll capitalize on that,” he said.
