Todd Callaghan swoops in against the Grizzlys on Sunday afternoon. The Dragons battled back from a two goal deficit to force overtime, but this time Olds was victorious. Final score 4-3. The Dragons are on home ice this Saturday against St. Albert.
The Dragons were convincing with a 3-0 win over the Olds Grizzlys on Thursday, October 8, but couldn’t muster a spark against the Okotoks Oilers on Saturday, October 10. They were back home last Sunday, and took The Grizzlys to overtime before succumbing to a hard fought loss.
“We are breaking through said coach Dan Price. “We are incrementally moving forward.”
They took two steps forward on October 8 in Olds. Scott Kennedy earned the first point of his three point game, just three minutes into the first period, assisted by Justin Morello and Justin Tateson. The Dragons built on their lead in the second period on the powerplay. This time Kennedy and Colin Bergman assisted Morello. They capped the game four minutes in as Kennedy scored his second, and Morello and Bergman earned their second assists. Braden Gamble recorded his first shutout of the season and a game star after facing 42 shots
“The biggest thing on Thursday, was that was one of the most complete games we have played,” said Price. “We were very structured in our offensive zone and the neutral zone, and on special trams. And on defense, although they had a lot of shots, they were all from the outside. We felt we were really in control of that game from both sides of the puck.”
With two steps forward, came one step back on Saturday versus Okotoks. The Oilers dominated and trounced the Dragons 7-0.
“Okotoks came out really hard and aggressively, and it was a lesson on how to push back and weather the storm, and the lesson was in the fact that we didn’t do it. When they got up by a couple goals we sagged, and didn’t get back in until late in the third period, and then it was too late.”
Price said they took the lesson to heart at Sunday’s game versus Olds.
The Dragons were down by one after the first period, but Morello clicked on the powerplay, tying the game at one. This was short lived however as the Grizzlys came back short handed. The Grizzlys added another goal to put them up 3-1. The Dragons breathed fire and Matthew Brown put them back in the game at the 13 minute mark, and with 20 seconds left Evan Warner tied the game.
“We took the lessons from the Sunday game against Olds where we got down. Now they have learned the mind set that it takes to push back regardless of the score.”
Price says an unlucky penalty in overtime dashed the Dragons’ efforts on this night as Olds scored two minutes into the first OT.
The Dragons have seen some bright spots, particularly from Morello who has 10 points since the beginning of October.
“The great thing about Justin is he has always been a gifted offensive player, and he has worked hard at developing his offensive game, and he should be really proud of that. What he is really learning this year his how to play on the other side of the puck and how to play away from the puck,” said Price. “It is really neat to see his game evolve this way and that’s going to give him a great chance to be successful at the NCAA level and at the pro level.”
Another plus for the Dragons squad is they are finding their health. Injuries have slowed the team early in the season, but Price says they are approaching full strength, and the players on the ice are showing no signs of slowing down. In fact the top six players in the AJHL’s Iron Man (most games played streak) are wearing the familiar black and orange.
Price is confident the team is heading in the right direction, even after a number of changes to the squad, many by the players’ choice.
“I think it is healthy. They were all players and for some reason didn’t want to embrace what we were doing here,” said Price. “This isn’t right or wrong or make them bad people, we just want people here to embrace the way we are doing things. That attrition is really healthy because it makes room for guys that want to be Dragons and care about the way we do things.”
The Dragons will be back on home ice this Saturday to take on the St. Albert Steel at 7:30 p.m.