SUNDAY - GRIZZ FALL HARD IN GAME 1, THE AJHL'S NORTH AND THE WEEKEND THAT WAS & INNISFAIL EAGLES RESULTS

DRAGONS TAKE GAME ONE IN ROMP


The Drumheller Dragons proved to be no-underdog in Game One of their 3 Vs 6 First Round South Division Playoff Clash.

Though both Drumheller and the Olds Grizzlys would head into the first intermission tied at one - the next 40 minutes would lean heavily in the favor of the Dragons.

One of the many proverbial nails in the Grizzlys Game One Coffin would be a Drumheller Short-Handed marker, scored by Colin Bergman, only 1:46 into the second period and that wouldn't be the end of the special teams story in this game one battle.

Up 3-2 the Dragons would kill off a pivotal Olds Grizzlys Power Play and mere moments later Cody Rainaldi would pot the fourth of the game for the Dragons with just 8 seconds left to play in the 2nd frame.

The Grizzlys Powerless Power Play would once again come back to bite them in the 3rd.

Down 5-2 at about the mid-way point - Olds failed to register a single shot on a 38 second 5-3 man-advantage.

In the end the Drumheller Dragons would go 1 for 4 with the Power Play while the Grizzlys would go 0 for 5 and despite outshooting the Dragons 49-35 . . .Olds would loose Game One 6-2 and home ice advantage in the process.

After the game Grizzlys' Head Coach Kevin Hasselberg said to expect a different Olds Grizzly team in Game 2 - which goes tonight (Mar.1) at 7:30 from the Olds SportsComplex.

GAME NOTES -

Drumheller Dragons Coaching Staff elected to go with Brayden Gamble over Garret Sheehan in Net for Game 1. Gamble, who had only seen 20 games during the Regular Season, was very positionally sound in his first playoff game in the AJHL; Grizzlys Goaltender Marc Boulanger was yanked with 14:30 left to go in the 3rd after allowing 5 goals on 29 shots, in his replacement Brayden Hopfe made 5 saves on 6 shots; Corey Campbell was named the Grizzlys Star of the Game; Todd Chinova was named the Dragons Star of the Game.

SCORING SUMMARY-

PERIOD 1

Olds Grizzlys at 0:58 - Shadoe Stoodley from Corey Campbell

Drumheller Dragons at 4:52 - Ashton Reinboldt from Scott Kennedy and Justin Faryna

PERIOD 2

Drumheller Dragons at 1:46 (SH) - Colin Bergman from Cam Lamoureux

Olds Grizzlys at 3:54 - Jordan Kwas from Brance Orban and Mitchell Maxwell

Drumheller Dragons at 11:26 - Todd Chinova from Tyler Matthews

Drumheller Dragons at 19:51 - Cody Rainaldi from Trent Colberg and Colin Bergman

PERIOD 3

Drumheller Dragons at 5:30 (PP) - Jeff Young from Kyle Fehr and Lee Morrow

Drumheller Dragons at 14:49 (SH) - Todd Chinova from Lee Morrow and Kyle Fehr

BY THE NUMBERS -

• So Far this Post-Season - In Nine Games Played in both the South and the North - The team with the better Power Play Percentage has Won the Game 88% of the Time. (The Only Game that would differ was Game #2 between Lloyd. and G.P. - both teams went 25% on the P.P. and Lloyd Won)
• In the 1st Round of the past 3 playoff seasons in the AJHL - Teams That Win Game One - Win the Series 73% of the Time (13 of the last 18)
• In the 1st Round of the past 3 playoff seasons in the AJHL's South Division - Teams That Win Game One - Win the Series 55% of the Time (5 of the last 9)

INTERESTING TO NOTE -

• Both Drumheller and Olds Swept their First Round Series in 2007-2008.
• In 2006-2007 - Olds lost it's 1st Game of the 1st Round but went on to Win the Series 3 games to 1, while Drumheller won it's 1st game but lost the series 3 games to 2.

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TWO GAMES IN THE BOOKS UP NORTH

Games one and two are all but wrapped up in the AJHL's North Division - Here's How Things Look So Far:

Grande Prairie Storm Vs Lloydminster Bobcats
Storm Win Game 1 - 5-2
Bobcats Win Game 2 - 3-1

*Former Olds Grizzly and 2008 - 2009's AJHL Goaltender of the Year for the Grande Prairie Storm was the difference in Game 1 - registering a .941 Save Percentage. However in Game 2 Carder looked more human allowing 3 goals on 27 shots - .888%.

Saint Albert Steel Vs Sheerwood Park Crusaders
Crusaders Win Game 1 - 6-5
Crusaders Win Game 2 - 6-1

*Rob Kleebaum has 4 Goals for the Cru in the two games so far - meantime both Nic Yeremchuk and David Way also have 4 points for Sheerwood Park.

Bonnyville Pontiacs Vs Fort McMurray Oil Barons
Pontiacs Win Game 1 - 5-3
Oil Barons Win Game 2 - 4-1

*Three Power Play Goals was the difference for the MOB in Game 2.
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EAGLES - RAMS KNOTTED A ONE GAME A PIECE

Both the Innisfail Eagles and Rocky Rams won on home ice in the best of 7 Senior 'AA' Provincial Series this weekend.

In Game 1 on Friday the Eagles beat the Rocky Rams at the Innisfail Twin Arena 6-4. Derek Blais was a stand-out for the Eagles, picking up 1 goals and 4 points.

Meantime on Saturday it was the Rams appeasing the home town crowd - beating the Eagles in Rocky 3-2, thanks to Nathan Turners game-winning 3rd period goal. Games 3 and 4 go next weekend.