FRIDAY - ROUND 3

AND IT BEGINS

It's been five long years since the Olds Grizzlys advanced to Alberta Junior Hockey League's Semi-Finals - a stretch that ends tonight.

The Grizzlys' clinched a final-four spot for the first time since 2004 with a 4 games to 2, Second Round Series win over the Okotoks Oilers on Monday and are now gearing up and packing up for a weekend in Spruce Grove.

Dating back to 1989 Olds has made the final four 11 times (prior to tonight's series kick off) and have emerged victorious 4 times - the last time was over a decade ago in 1995.

FINAL FOUR HISTORY

1989	South Final	Lost 4-1 to Red Deer Rustlers
1990	South Final	Lost 4-1 to Calgary Canucks
1992	Semi Final	Won 4-1 over Fort Saskatchewan Traders
1993	Semi Final	Won 4-1 over Fort McMurray Oil Barons
1994	Semi Final	Won 4-0 over St. Albert Saints
1995	Semi Final	Won 4-0 over Sherwood Park Crusaders
1996	Semi Final	Lost 4-0 to St. Albert Saints
1999	Semi Final	Lost 4-1 to Calgary Canucks
2001	Semi Final	Lost 4-3 to Drayton Valley Thunder
2002	Semi Final	Lost 4-0 to Drayton Valley Thunder
2004	Semi Final	Lost 4-2 to Grande Prairie Storm

Safe to say - this team to due.

It won't be an easy task however.

Not only will the Grizzlys have to travel to the AJHL's North but, once there, they'll be up against this year's power-house Spruce Grove Saints.

First and foremost, the North.

Whether AJHL Players will admit it or not - it's a whole new ball game when teams travel from one division to another. It's not like traveling to play a team you'll face 6 times in a regular season. In fact, teams will only play other teams from opposition divisions twice in a year.

Here's how the Grizzlys fared against teams from the North this season.

OLDS RECORD Vs. NORTH OPPONENTS
9-8-0-1
AT HOME
5-2-0-1
AWAY
4-6-0-0
GOALS SCORED Vs. NORTH OPPONENTS
47 (Avg. 2.61 per Game)
GOALS ALLOWED
57 (Avg. 3.16 per Game)
SHOTS FOR Vs. NORTH OPPONENTS
579
SHOTS AGAINST
571
POWER PLAY GOALS Vs. NORTH OPPONENTS
17 for 106 (16%)
POWER PLAY GOALS ALLOWED
18 for 92 (19.6%)

Now, it's not so much as what Division the Grizzlys are playing but who the Grizzlys are playing.

The Spruce Grove Saints lead the league in almost every statistical category in the regular season:

In the overall standings with a 46-7-4-5 record, good for 101 points, 12 more than any other team in the league and 27 more than the Olds Grizzlys.

In Goals For with 274 - averaging 4.4 per game. (Grizzlys averaged 3.6)

In Goals Against Average with 2.2 per game. (Grizzlys allowed 3 per game)

In Power Play Percentage with a 29.79% conversion rate. (Grizzlys worked at 18.84)

In Penalty Kill, thwarting the opposition's Power Plays 87.90% of the time. (Grizzlys at 84%)

Scarier still, the Saints haven't lost 2 games in regulation in a row this season and of their 7 regulation losses and 5 overtime losses - 4 regulation loses and 3 overtime loses came in the first two months of the season.

This is nothing new to Grizzlys Head Coach Kevin Hasselberg, who made it clear earlier in the week that his team isn't taking anything or one for granted.

"They have a lot of skilled players, they've got the Co-MVP running the back end and some great goaltending," he said. "We're going to have to be at our best and the players in that dressing room know that."

REGULAR SEASON HISTORY
The Grizzlys and the Saints met up only twice in the regular season, the Saints winning both games and outscoring Olds 12-4 (41% of the Saints Goals came on the PP, Olds went 1 for 11).

KEYS TO THE SERIES
Playing disciplined hockey. Grizzlys Head Coach Kevin Hasselberg says keeping the series 5 on 5 will be critical.

INTERESTING TO NOTE
Keep an eye on Blue-Liner Frank Carbonaro. The former Spruce Grove Saint was traded to the Olds Grizzlys mid-season for power-forward Konrad Becker. Carbonaro, who's been a standout in the post-season for the Grizzlys, is excited to for this series to begin.

"It's exciting," according to 18 year old Carbonaro, "I was kind of hoping things would turn out this way." "To back and play in front of Spruce Grove is a chance to play in front of family and friends and it's a chance to play against guys who I played with last year and guys that I grew up with too"


IN THIS BLOGGERS OPINION
Despite the Mountain of a Team the Grizzlys face in the Saints - at the end of the day, it's Playoff Hockey. Anything can happen. I've seen some of the best hockey I've seen the Grizzlys play in this post-season run but with that said, I've seen some of the worst. If Olds can get off this roller-coaster of inconsistency and play that "Grizzlys', Keep Pushing Forward Hockey" game in and game out - I have all the faith in the world they can pull off what some have said would be a miracle upset.

LIVE FROM THE GRANT FUHR ARENA
Listen to 96.5 CKfm for a complete Semi-Final preview starting at 6:30, followed by live play by play at 7:00.