The Drumheller Dragons finally returned home last night after being on the road for ten games straight and gave a loud and clear message they aren’t to be taken lightly.
    The Dragons entered the evening with a five game losing streak, but turned things around with a 5-1 win over the Olds Grizzlys.
    Brian Curran, head coach and general manager of the Dragons, explained the momentum began in Camrose, where the Dragons lost by a narrow 3-2, on Sunday.
    “We were trying to find ourselves an identity about what type of team we are. I know what I want, and we showed that in Camrose and again last night,” said Curran. “We’re trying to establish that we have to play the type of hockey we did in the past two games to be successful in this league. If we play that kind of hockey, we’re going to get our wins.”
    The team was aggressive with the puck. They were physical and stood up for each other, and the penalty kill and power plays were strong. One of the most important changes was the boys putting themselves into position to create opportunities.
    “One of the hardest things to teach young players is to not watch the player carrying the puck and go to different areas to help out that player. Now the guys without the puck are going to different areas to create opportunities,” said Curran.
    “I think the realization for the boys last night, and they needed that, was that their hard work will pay off.”
    The Dragons will be on the ice again tonight when they host the Okotoks Oilers, who are currently the fifth place southern division team and five points ahead of the Dragons.
    “They’re a good hockey club. They have a pretty mobile defence, so we’re going to have make sure we’re pretty good on our fore check,” said Curran.
    The puck drops tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Drumheller Memorial Arena.

     It was a tough weekend for the Drumheller Dragons. The unforgiving schedule had the Dragons play three games in as many days. The Dragons are coming out of the weekend with a three game losing streak.
    The Dragons first game of the weekend was in Grande Prairie to face the Storm on Friday. The Storm took the lead half way through the first period ten seconds after the Dragons were short handed due to a kneeing penalty incurred by Leighton McLachlan.
    The Dragons came back to take a 2-1 lead early in the second period. Stefan Virtanen got the Dragons on the scoreboard with an unassisted effort. Soon after, Dakota Zaharichuk, with assists going to Brodie Jamieson and Ryan Aasman, gave the Dragons their second goal on the power play.
    The Storm retaliated late in the second while the Dragons were short handed again after a holding penalty by Brad Deagle.
    Thirteen minutes into the third, emotions boiled over and a brawl ensued after Jordan McTaggart of the Storm interfered with Drumheller goalie Christopher Wray.
    Neither team was able to get the upper hand in the third, sending the game to over time, where the Storm won the game a mere 24 seconds into the overtime with a 3-2 overtime win.
    The Dragons had little time for rest and were in Drayton Valley to face the Thunder the next evening. The Dragons started the scoring first on a goal by Brennan Baxandall, with help from Adam Danyluk and Brodie Jamieson.
    They had little time to savour the lead. The Thunder struck four minutes later on the power play. In the final minute of the first, a kneeing penalty by the Dragons resulted in another power play goal by the Thunder.
    The Thunder increased their lead to 3-1 in the second, and followed up early in the third with another goal. The Dragons managed to take advantage of a high sticking penalty by the Thunder and score their second of the game. However, the Dragons were soon after a man short after Tristan Reimer and Cavin Leth were penalized for roughing. The Thunder took advantage and scored their fifth and final goal of the night.
    The Dragons were handed their second loss of the weekend.
    On Sunday, the Dragons faced the Whitecourt Wolverines on their turf, but couldn’t come away with the victory, losing 4-2.
    The Wolverines opened up with a power play goal 16 minutes into the game after Michael Zipp of the Dragons incurred two consecutive penalties for high sticking and fighting. The Dragons were able to retaliate with a power play goal by Ryan Bloom, with help from Christopher Rauckman and Colton Vannucci, by the end of the period.
    The game was locked in a 1-1 tie until the Wolverines took a 2-1 lead half way through the third period, but the Dragons were able to tie things up again five minutes later thanks to a power play goal by Stephen Doane, with the assists going to Ryan Bloom and Brodie Jamieson.
    It wasn’t until the dying seconds of the game when the Wolverines took the upper hand on the scoreboard. With only a few seconds left, the Wolverines scored the winning goal and followed up with another goal with only two seconds left in the game,
    The Dragons are in a three game losing streak after the weekend, with a 3-7 record. The three losses mean the Dragons remain in last place in the AJHL southern division and four points behind the Canmore Eagles, Okotoks Oilers, and Calgary Canucks.
    The Dragons will be looking to break their losing streak and get some wins on Friday when they travel to Brooks to face the first place Bandits. The following night, they will be Camrose against the second place Kodiaks. The Dragons do not return to home ice until next Wednesday.

Ryan Bloom (left), seen here at the Dragons home opener in September, helped keep the Dragons in the game with the Whitecourt Wolverines on Sunday night. The Dragons lost 4-2, but Bloom managed to racked up the Dragons first goal of the night and assisted in their second. The Dragons lost three straight this past weekend. Their next game is on the road against the first place Brooks Bandits.
mailphoto by Michael James