OLDS — The Olds Grizzlys wind up its Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) home and home exhibition season series against the Calgary Canucks this Wednesday and Friday.
So far, they’ve been looking good – although it is exhibition play, where the emphasis is usually more on evaluating players (although winning is also a goal, and it certainly feels better).
As of Monday, the Grizzlys’ exhibition record put them in second place in the Viterra South Division with a 3-1 record for six points, just two points behind the division-leading Brooks Bandits (4-0, eight points).
The Grizzlys won 4-3 at home on Oct. 16, and 3-2 in overtime in Calgary on Oct. 14. They beat the Canucks 2-1 in overtime in Olds on Oct. 10 but lost 2-1 in Calgary on Oct. 9.
Obviously they’ve all been tight games, but overall, head coach Scott Atkinson likes what he’s seen from his squad. And he notes the Canucks have improved too, so no wonder the games have been close.
After this Friday’s game in Olds, it’s a bit unclear as to who, when and where the Grizzlys will play next.
“There’s the hope that our cohort will expand to include three or four, or maybe even five teams, so it’s like anything else – hard to say exactly what’s going to happen, but we’re hopeful that once we finish this set with Calgary, the next situation will be sort of multi-team,” Atkinson said.
“So they’ll expand the cohort sizes – hopefully – and we’ll be able to play more teams and maybe even get some more people in the stands.”
Atkinson conceded that if or when that happens, the Grizzlys will face a greater test than the Canucks, the only team that finished lower than them in the seven-team AJHL Viterra South Division last season.
But he’s optimistic this year’s edition of the Grizzlys will fare better against tougher teams because it’s a different squad with a better skill set and a more competitive attitude.
“We’re working hard,” Atkinson said. “We’re trying to establish an identity, something we can sustain with our roster and I think we’re taking steps towards that.
“We’re trying to change the culture and part of that cultural change has to include a solid work ethic and a solid compete level,” he added. “They’re simple things that are hard to do.
“If we can just get better at hockey, things will get better in a hurry.”
The team has been working on another part of the overall improvement plan – getting stingier defensively.
“We’ve given up less than 25 shots every game – and that’s a low scoring game,” Atkinson said.
“That’s kind of how we’re going to start and then we’ll kind of see if we can go from there.”
This year’s edition of the Grizzlys is speedier as well.
“We’re way, way faster and that’s going to help us execute our game plan so it’s important.”
“Basically speaking, the team’s executing what we’re asking them to do and doing a good job of working hard and competing hard and at this time of year, that’s really what you’re looking for,” he said.
“We’ve got a real good group. Our team personality, our character, our culture, is good.”
