FRIDAY - THIS ONE'S FOR ALL THE MARBLES

GAME 5!

This one's for all the Marbles, Do or Die, Looser Goes Home, Winner Takes All . . . use whatever cliche you want to describe the situation.

In the end, there isn't actually a word or a phrase that "hits the nail on the head" (another cliche - and I'm sorry) when it comes to describing the emotion, excitement and anticipation of a series that goes the distance.

Game 3, Game 5, Game 7 - hell, Game 15 in a best of 15 - it all means the same.

It means that you can expect two teams to put forth their highest caliber of hockey - and it the end, one will still go home facing a long off-season and one will go home with the excitement and wonder of what lies ahead.

On one side you have the Olds Grizzlys - A team coming off that bizarre and sickening feeling of a Double Overtime Loss in the Playoffs (for those who haven't ever played sports - it's like a mix of pure adrenaline, a racing heart, butterflies and a then blind-sided, sucker punch out of nowhere to the gut). You combine those emotions and feelings with a very. . .very long bus ride home - where, for well over 8 hours, there was nothing else to do but ponder what could have been and realize what instead, will be.

Then on the other side, you have the Drumheller Dragons - A team that fought and lived to see another post-season day. A team that stared into the eyes of pending elimination from the face of the 2008-2009 AJHL season and in the end said "We'll see ya Friday".

Though I'm sure he'd much rather be talking about the Okotoks Oilers than Game 5, Grizzly's Head Coach Kevin Hasselberg delivered the perfect quote when asked about his team's current situation.

"We worked extremely hard all year to get home ice advantage," said Hasselberg, "Thats what it comes down to now - we've got home ice on a Friday night in Olds, I don't think you can ask for a better script than that."

Normally at this point I rattle off a bunch of stats and figures from the two teams last encounter - but truth be told, at this point, it's not necessary.

Here's what I can tell you - it's Game 5 - this one's for all the Marbles, it's Do or Die, a Looser will Go Home and a Winner will Take All . . . and there's nothing more exciting in sports.
ICE CHIPS

Olds' Blue-Liner Brendon Algeo, who has yet to see any action this series, will play tonight - who'll be out has yet to be determined. Though I can't say for certain, Drumheller's Justin Faryna will likely not be in the line-up. No word if Kyle Fehr and Colten Hayes will return to the Dragons line-up.
INTERESTING TO NOTE

In the past 10 years the Olds Grizzlys have only had one series go the distance, be it 5 games or 7. It was back in 2000-2001 when in the league semi-final the Grizzlys lost to the Drayton Valley Thunder. Meantime in the past 4 season's the Drumheller Dragons have had a series need it's final game twice - in 2005-2006 the Dragons lost in the 5th Game of the 1st Round to Canmore, then in 2006-2007, the Dragons lost, once again in the 5th Game of the 1st Round to Okotoks.

IN THIS BLOGGER'S OPINION

Any Broadcaster, Beat Reporter, Blogger or otherwise that tells you they aren't emotionally invested in the teams they follow - is lying! So with that said I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't rooting for the Grizzlys tonight. I can say it's been one hell of a ride and win or loose, Okotoks or Off-Season - I CAN'T WAIT FOR PUCK DROP TONIGHT.

With the excitement of playoff hockey so intense I can barely stand-it. . .

Here's a couple videos I've watched to get myself just jacked for tonight:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut4IHv6q7fM
(As a Flames Fan I damn near cry every time)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLAWjdmw4Lw
(As a Flames Fan I laugh every time - but all in all a great video for a series that went the distance.)