It doesn't seem so long ago that we saw the Dragons play in the finals of the AJHL, but here we are again.
In the first game of the playoffs the Dragons would face the very strong Olds Grizzlys! The Dragons finishing 4th this season and the Grizzlys 5th, but that in this series would mean very little as the high powered Grizzly's would hold a 4 to 2 edge this season.
Drumheller knew that they would have to come out strong and set the tempo but in the first period it would be the Grizzlys that would catch a nervous Dragon's team and control a large part of the first period. At the end of the first the score would be tied 1-1.
Second period saw a much better Dragons team and it would be the Dragons who would score 3 unanswered goals to make it 4-1 forcing a time out by the Olds coach Brett Hopfe. The time out worked and on the very next shift the Grizzlys scored to make it 4-2 and that was how the period would end.
Third period saw a strong effort by both teams but it would be the Dragons defence that would be up to the challenge limiting the Grizzlys few scoring chances and with Hunter Mills scoring on a great pass by Dakota Zaharichuk the game would end 5-2.
GM and Coach Brian Curran had this to say. “As far as the game went I thought we were a very nervous team in the first but settled down and played a strong second and third period. It's nice to get the first game out of the way and to play well in front of our home crowd but as we all know it takes three to win the first series and we are playing a very good hockey team in the Grizzlys and will have to be even better Thursday”
Next home game is March 5th at 7:00 pm.
