OLDS — The Olds Grizzlys won two of three during a three-game road trip this past weekend.
That improved the team's record to 10-20-3-0 for 23 points in 33 games. They’re still in eighth and last place in the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s south division, but only three points behind the seventh-place Calgary Canucks (9-15-6-2) in 32 games.
The Grizzlys opened the road trip with a solid 4-2 win over the Wolverines in Whitecourt.
Jayden Watson got the Grizzlys on the board first at 1:28 of the first period with his fifth goal of the season, assisted by David Clarke and Liam Hughes.
Just a few seconds later, Niklas Gudmundson widened that lead to 2-0 at the 1:39 mark, his sixth goal of the year, assisted by Watson and Nathan White.
The Wolverines got on the board at the 9:03 mark of the second period, but the Grizzlys replied at 14:02 when Gudmundson scored again at 14:02, assisted by Moxham and Avery Trotter.
The Wolverines made it tight with a goal at 16:26 of the middle frame, but Tanner Klimpke shut the door with his 17th goal of the season at 8:46 of the third period, assisted Watson and Clarke.
Grizzlys goaltender Marcus Cumberworth went the distance in net and stopped 42 of 44 shots. Carson Ironside stopped 24 of 28 shots for the Wolverines.
The Grizzlys went one for three on the power play. The Grizzlys were pretty strong on the penalty kill, only allowing the Wolverines one goal in seven opportunities.
Watson, with a goal and two assists, was named the game’s first star.
On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Grizzlys beat the Grande Prairie Storm 5-2.
The Grizzlys jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period.
Gudmundson got his eighth of the season, unassisted, at 8:13. Cade Moxham increased that lead to 2-0 when he got a shortie, his ninth goal of the season, at 17:03, assisted by Clarke.
The Storm got on the scoreboard at the one-minute mark of the second period, but Klimpke re-established the Grizzlys’ two-goal lead at 9:53 of that frame when he scored his 18th goal of the season, assisted by Moxham.
Ryder Grey Horses made it 4-1 at the 13:24 mark of the third period with his fifth goal of the season, assisted by White and Jacob Rude.
Clarke scored the Grizzlys’ fifth goal, a power-play marker and his third of the season unassisted at 14:10.
The Storm scored their second goal at 18:50 of that period but that’s as close as they could come.
Once again, Cumberworth played the entire game for the Grizzlys, stopping 26 of 28 shots. The Grizzlys fired 27 shots at Storm goaltender Connor Mackenzie.
The Grizzlys were one for eight on the power play. The Storm were unable to score on any of their five opportunities, thanks to the Grizzlys’ strong PK.
Sherwood Park Crusaders beat the Grizzlys 4-1 on Sunday.
The Crusaders were up 3-0 before the Grizzlys got their lone goal at 17:48 of the second period.
It was scored by Grey Horses, his sixth of the season, assisted by Jaydon Iyogun and White.
The Crusaders got the only goal at the 6:13 mark of the third period to seal the Grizzlys’ fate.
Cumberworth stopped 46 of 50 shots on net and was named the game’s first star, Sherwood Park goalie Ryan Manzella stopped 34 of 35 fired his way.
The Grizzlys were blanked on all four power-play opportunities they had. The Crusaders, however, were three for five with the man advantage.
The Grizzlys’ next action is this weekend, when then play two games back-to-back at home in the Sportxplex.
They host the Okotoks Oilers on Friday and the Canmore Eagles – in fifth place in the south on Saturday. Game time for both clashes is 7 p.m.
The Oilers are currently in second place in the south division with a record of 31-2-1-1 for 41 points in 35 games. The Eagles are in fifth place in the division with a 14-14-2-2 record for 32 points in 32 games.
