There would be no last-minute heroics for the visiting team on the second game of a back-to-back series as the Olds Grizzlys defeated the Lloydminster Bobcats 3-2 on Saturday at the Sportsplex.
Colton Sheen led the way with two goals, including the eventual game-winner, against the Bobcats – a one-timer in front of the Lloydminster net on the powerplay.
The victory came after the Grizzlys coughed up a two-goal lead against Fort McMurray the night before, where the Barons tied the game in the final minute and won 3-2 in a shootout.
“Yesterday, we wanted to clear off the boards with it. We didn't, we made a couple mistakes through the middle of the ice and that in the end cost us,” said head coach Brett Hopfe.
“Tonight, we had a couple bounces go our way because of our work ethic.”
Having taken three out of a possible four points against two of the top three teams in the AJHL North, the Grizzlys close out 2014 with an 18-14-5 record. Their 41 points has them in fifth place in the South division.
“It's where we want to be, we're still in reach of getting home ice advantage,” Hopfe said. “That still is our goal. I think with how we've played as of late, that goal is very achievable if we come back well rested and ready to go for the last half of the year.”
Sheen opened scoring with his 15th goal of the year, 4:20 into the first period. Later that period, Bobcats forward Lukas Biensch tied the game, scoring on a rebound in front of the Grizzlys net after goaltender Jesse Gordichuk made the initial save.
Lloyminster took a 2-1 lead after forward Josh Giacomin crashed the Olds net and scored with a second remaining in the first period.
Sean Richards tied the game once again with his fourth goal of the year following a successful penalty kill.
Gordichuk kept the score close in the second period, stopping two breakaways and making a huge desperation stick save midway through the frame, batting an airborne puck out of the air.
He finished with 38 saves on 40 shots.
Devin Green stopped 38 of 41 shots for the Lloydminster.
Eight minutes into the third period, a centre-ice hit by Bobcats defencemen Mitchell Brennan left Austin Kernahan laying on the ice for a few moments before leaving the game gingerly.
Brennan was assessed five minutes for a headshot, a game misconduct and was suspended for two games.
Sheen scored the eventual game-winner on the ensuing powerplay and Hopfe said he believed the hit inspired his team.
Prior to the game, the Grizzlys held a ceremony to rename the centre-ice sound booth as the Tammy Moritz Memorial Sound Booth, in memory of the team's former business operations manager, killed in a car crash in October 2013.
Moritz, 47 at the time, was heading to Drumheller with her father, Roy Stockwood, 76, to watch her twin sons play hockey. Both Moritz and Stockwood were killed in the collision.
The Grizzlys will next play on Jan. 2 in Drayton Valley against the Thunder.
