OLDS — The Olds Grizzlys host the Brooks Bandits tonight (Tuesday, Jan. 31) at the Sportsplex.
It’ll be a challenge.
As of Monday, Jan. 30, the Bandits had clinched a playoff berth and stood on top of the eight-team Alberta Junior Hockey League south division standings with a 41-5-1-1 record for 84 points in 48 games.
The Grizzlys remained in last place in that division with a 13-31-3-0 record for 29 points in 47 games.
This past weekend was a rough one for the Grizzlys.
They hosted two games at the Sportsplex and lost them both.
On Friday, Jan 27, they were beaten 4-2 by the Spruce Grove Saints and on Saturday night, they were downed 4-1 by the Fort MacMurray Oil Barons.
Friday night’s contest started out as a goaltender’s duel, as there was no scoring in the first period.
Grizzly defenceman Tristan Bauming finally opened the scoring with two goals midway through the second period.
He scored his fourth goal of the season at the 13:53 mark of the second period with his fourth goal of the season, assisted by Sheldon Kwiatkowski and Connor Michaud.
His fifth came at 15:55 of that same period, assisted by Cade Moxham and Josh Karman.
However, it was all Saints after that, as they scored four unanswered goals.
They scored their first one at 16:56 of the second period and three more in the third period.
The Saints went 2/6 on the power play. The Grizzlys were blanked (0/6).
Shots on goal were 38 for the Saints and for the 21 Grizzlys.
Grizzly forward Kyle Venneman was named a game star for the Grizzlys.
Fort Mac got the first three goals of Saturday’s contest, scoring their first at the 34 second mark of the first period. The other two were scored at 8:17, assisted by former Grizzly Liam Hughes, and at 10:34, still in the first period.
Greye Rampton got the Grizzlys on the scoreboard at 16:29 of that first frame – his fourth of the season – assisted by Josh Karman and Niklas Gudmundson.
But the Oil Barons put the final nail in the coffin with a goal at 17:26 of the third period.
The power play was not clicking for either side in that game. The Oil Barons were 0/7 and the Grizzlys were 0/6.
The Oil Barons fired 35 shots on goal. The Grizzlys replied with 30.
Jadon Iyogun was named a star of the game for the Grizzlys.
