Grizzlys claw back to stun Okotoks
In front of a rowdy-for-a-Tuesday-night Centennial Arena crowd, the Okotoks Oilers had a glorious opportunity to set the tone in the second round of the Alberta Junior Hockey League playoffs.
Their fans. Their ice. Their game to win.
Unfortunately for them, it didn’t shake down that way.
After taking a 2-0 lead in the opening frame to start the best-of-seven series with confidence, they allowed the Olds Grizzlys to claw back and roar away with a 3-2 double overtime victory.
“I just think they outworked us,” said Okotoks captain Derek Bacon. “And we knew that was going to happen. They work really hard and we have to outwork them or at least match it to beat them.
“It’s about bearing down and wanting it more than they do. But we have to have a short memory. It’s a long series and we’ll regroup and get back at it (today, 7 p.m.).”
After tonight’s game in Okotoks, the series shifts to Olds for Games 3 and 4 Friday and Saturday.
To the visitors’ credit, their effort was no surprise considering their recent first-round upset of the No. 4-seeded Calgary Mustangs where the Grizzlys, fifth in the regular season, rattled off three straight wins.
And, after Tuesday, it’s clear they aren’t going to lay down in this series either.
Eventually, 16-year-old rookie Sean Davies was the hero for Olds, netting the game winner 5:02 into the second overtime frame.
“That’s our fourth line and they brought it all night,” said Grizzlys forward Mitch Owsley, who scored the equalizer in the third frame. “They contributed two goals and they don’t normally do that, their physical presence is always felt.
“It was really nice to see Sean get that. It was nice to come out on top and definitely to get Game 1, too. Now, it makes it a little easier (today).”
Okotoks hit the gas pedal early which led to Braeden Salverda’s first marker of the playoffs nearly three minutes in. They took a two-goal lead with 54 seconds left in the opening frame when Tyler Krause cashed in on a perfectly-timed a pass from Bacon in front of Olds goalie Jesse Ehnisz on a two-on-one.
The Oilers were physical, too, thanks to Rhett Holland, a 2012 NHL draft prospect, who crushed Olds sniper Bart Moran cleanly at centre ice to fire up his crew.
But soon sloppy defensive play cost them. Losing two of their blueliners, former Calgary Hitman Keaton Lubin and Craig Dans, to injury didn’t help matters either.
Grizzlys rookie Ty Morgan connected in the second period while Owsley scored on a turnover in the third.
“I think they stepped up their game and once we missed some opportunities early in the second, it kind of affected us,” said Okotoks head coach James Poole. “We maybe took our foot off the gas and our D-men started getting tired. I think they kind of sensed that a bit, knowing we were a pretty tired hockey team.
“It was a back and forth game, but hopefully, (today), we can get the same start and learn from what happened.”
Oilers goalie Michael Tadjdeh faced 45 shots after regulation while Olds’ Ehnisz was pelted with 34 shots.
In the other second-round South Division series Tuesday, the Brooks Bandits clearly showed no rust after being off a full 17 days between games and pelted the visiting Calgary Canucks 8-3 in Game 1.
That series continues today in Brooks and shifts to Calgary’s Max Bell Centre Friday and Saturday.