After enduring an eight-game losing streak, the Olds Grizzlys put together a modest three-game winning streak last week in Alberta Junior Hockey League action.
The Grizzlys finished the week on Sunday by knocking off the Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-2. The previous night, the locals trounced the Whitecourt Wolverines 8-2 while they got the week started Nov. 6 by beating the Calgary Mustangs 4-2.
In Sunday's game, the Grizzlys jumped out to a 2-1 lead after the first period on goals by Mitch Owsley and Blair Oneschuk. After a scoreless second period, the Oil Barons tied it with a goal from Daniel Gayle at 5:26 of the third. The game winner came with Dylan Hubbs driving down the ice with speed wide to the net. As Hubbs shovelled it to the goal mouth, Bart Moran, who had accompanied Hubbs down the ice, took a more direct route to the net and managed to bang home the rebound. Brandon Clowes added a short-handed empty-net goal with only 18 seconds left in the game to seal the victory.
During the three games last week, Hubbs scored five goals and two assists, including three points against the Oil Barons.
Following the game, Moran said he simply followed Hubbs down the ice to provide whatever assistance he could.
“I just saw Dylan pick it up with speed along the wall. He's a skilled guy with the puck, so I knew he was going to make something out of it. I was a little ahead so I pulled up on my speed, but once I saw him going wide I knew I had to drive to the net to get a rebound or at least cause some havoc, and luckily it popped right out to me and I got a chance to bury it,” he said.
Moran said during the three victories last week, everyone was playing together as one unit rather than as individuals, as happened during the losing streak.
“Now we're really buying in to blocking shots and … all the gritty stuff that's not pretty and may not always get noticed, but everyone in the room knows that it really helps out,” he said.
Brett Hopfe, the Grizzlys' head coach, said he felt the team worked hard all game, but didn't necessarily work smart. The Oil Barons outshot the Grizzlys 49-33.
“But we stuck with the plan and … we were very good defensively. They got a lot of first shots, but they didn't get the rebounds … so that allowed (Grizzlys goaltender Ethan) Jemieff to make the initial save. He kept us in the game,” Hopfe said.
A trade on Nov. 6 that sent Tanner Dunkle to the Lloydminster Bobcats in exchange for Mathew Marcinew provided the flint that was needed on the team, Hopfe said. In his first game on Saturday against the Wolverines, Marcinew got a hat trick.
“Sometimes just some fresh blood in the room goes a long ways and I really think that kind of sparked the team. I feel like our guys are competing hard, and that's what we've asked,” he said.
