OLDS — The Olds Grizzlys have climbed out of the Alberta Junior Hockey League basement, at least for now.
As of Monday, Dec. 18, the team's record stood at 9-22-2-3 in 36 games, one point up on the cellar-dwelling Camrose Kodiaks and two points back of the Drayton Valley Thunder.
However, as of Monday, the Kodiaks had one game in hand on the Grizzlys and the Thunder had two in hand.
The Grizzlys hit the Christmas break with a glass half empty, half full situation.
In two back-to-back games at home in the Sportsplex, they won one and lost one.
On Friday night, Dec. 15, they edged the Bonnyville Pontiacs 3-2 but on Saturday night, Dec. 16, they were then shut out 5-0 by the Lloydminster Bobcats.
On Friday night, Hunter Bill opened the scoring at 9:29 of the first period with his third goal of the season, assisted by Willem Terwoord and Nolan Viesner.
Ryder Many Grey Horses padded that lead with the lone goal of the second period at 16:59, his ninth goal of the season, assisted by Mitchell Patrick and Braxton Thornton.
Bonnyville finally got on the board at the 8:56 mark of the third period on the powerplay.
But the Grizzlys answered back at 18:55 of that period when Greye Rampton scored his ninth goal of the season, an empty-netter, assisted by Ryan Tong. The Pontiacs finished the scoring at 19:59.
Aidan Comeau went the distance in net, stopping 40 of 42 shots. The Grizzlys fired 23 shots at Pontiacs goaltender Nathan St. Germain.
On Saturday, the Bobcats jumped all over the Grizzlys.
They scored three goals in the third period and never looked back, adding one each in the second and third periods.
Comeau again played the entire game in net for the Grizzlys, stopping 29 of 34 shots he faced. Bobcats netminder Jack Solomon blocked all 30 shots fired his way.
The Grizzlys’ next game will take place Dec. 29 against the Oilers in Okotoks.
Their next home games will occur Jan. 5, the back half of a home-and-home series against the Brooks Bandits. The first game in that series occurs New Year’s Day in Brooks.
