DRUMHELLER, AB- (Photo Credit: Rykie Photography) The Drumheller Dragons moved to a 3-2-0 record on the season after splitting two games on the road this past weekend. The Dragons now sit in a 4-way tie for 1st in the AJHL's Viterra South Division standings with Canmore, Calgary, and Brooks.
The team started the weekend off with a trip to division rival Brooks Bandits on Friday night. The two teams had met a week earlier with the Dragons on the winning end of a 11-3 contest in their home opener. The Dragons would come out strong in the first period outshooting the Bandits 9-7 with both goaltenders keeping the game scoreless. The final 40 minutes were dominated by Brooks, who wanted some revenge in their home opener, and would go on to a 4-0 victory. They would outshoot the Dragons 32-22 and Pierce Charleson would register the shutout for the Bandits.
Less than 24 hrs later the Dragons would head to Okotoks to face last year's AJHL South Division champion Oilers. The Oilers were coming off a loss in their home opener to the Camrose Kodiaks the night prior. The Drumheller squad came out flying at the Pason Centennial Arena and would take a 2-1 lead in the first on goals from Roc Truman and Brady Risk.
In the 2nd, it would was a back and forth exchange of goals in a fast paced and physical showing from both sides. Okotoks would tie the game at 2 early on a goal from Zane Kindrachuk, but Drumheller's Derrick Budz would quickly answer back to make it 3-2. Just over 1 minute later the Oilers would get one past Hunter Virostek to tie it 3-3 on a shot from Barrett Sheen. With 1:30 to go in the period, Dragons rookie forward Hassan Akl registered his first career AJHL goal, giving the Dragons a 4-3 lead heading into the 3rd period.
The final frame would be an exciting one as the Oilers would tie the game at 4 just 5 minutes in on a goal from Marc Pasemko. A fast paced period for both teams would eventually turn in the Dragons favour at the 14:18 mark. A highlight reel set up on a 2 on 1 from Scout Truman to Bradley Stonnell would become the eventual game winner and put the Dragons ahead 5-4. The Drumheller boys had to dig deep killing off a big Oilers powerplay in the final two minutes and Hunter Virsotek stood tall turning away 25 shots in the victory.
The Dragons will return to action this week at the annual AJHL Showcase in Camrose, AB. They will face two north division squads starting with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons Thursday Sept. 27th, and finishing with the Drayton Valley Thunder on Saturday Sept. 29th.