The Olds Grizzlys (3-0-0-0) are undefeated in exhibition play.
A busy weekend for the local Alberta Junior Hockey League club saw them hire a new Assistant Coach on Friday, August 30th. The Grizzlys then went to Devon and beat the Xtreme (0-1-0-1) 6-5 in a shootout. On Sunday (September 1st), Olds headed out to the badlands and outlasted the Dragons (1-1-0-1) 2-1 in a shootout at the Drumheller Memorial Arena.
Colten Hayes joins Head Coach Brad Tobin on the bench for the Black & Gold. The 34-year-old Hayes most recently served as the Head Coach and General Manager for the High River Flyers in the Heritage Junior Hockey League. The hockey resume for Hayes during his playing days included AJHL stints with the Drumheller Dragons and the Okotoks Oilers. He was the league’s Most Outstanding Defenceman in the 2010-2011 season. Hayes is no stranger to Central Alberta having played Senior Men’s AAA Hockey with both the Bentley Generals and the Innisfail Eagles. He won an Allan Cup championship with Bentley in 2016.
Friday’s 6-5 shootout win over the Xtreme in Devon was the second straight exhibition triumph for Olds over the newest team in the AJHL. The Grizzlys had rallied to defeat Devon 7-4 at the Olds SportsComplex on Wednesday, August 28th in the preseason opener for both teams. The win in Devon saw 18-year-old forward Mitch Patrick (2006) from Airdrie contribute a pair of goals and two helpers during 65 minutes of action. Patrick then netted what turned out to be the winning goal in the shootout. 18-year-old goaltender Thomas Samborski (2005) from Okotoks stopped all three attempts by the Xtreme in the shootout.
Sunday’s shootout win in Drumheller saw Jonathan Doucette (2006) from Boston, Massachusettes tie the game just a minute and 33 seconds after the Dragons had opened the scoring in the second period. 18-year-old netminder Connor Johnson (2006) from Calgary kicked out 34 of 35 during the game and then he denied three of the four players who had breakaway attempts for the Dragons in the shootout. 18-year-old forward Quinn Metzger (2006) from Lone Tree, Colorado send the shootout to an extra round by tying it up for the Grizzlys at 1-all in the third round. The hero for Olds was then 18-year-old forward Braeden Veldhuizen (2006) from Calgary who hit the back of the net in round four.
The second half of the exhibition slate of games for the Grizzlys starts on Wednesday, September 4th at 7pm at home against Drumheller. It will finish up with a trip to Canmore on Friday, and then a rematch the Eagles the next night at home at 7pm (September 7th).
The 2024-2025 AJHL regular season kicks off on the night of Friday, September 13th when Olds hosts the Drumheller Dragons at 7 o’clock.