The Drumheller Dragons continue to firm their position in the standings with only weeks left until the AJHL heads to the playoffs.
    The Dragons headed to the den of the Olds Grizzlys on Saturday night, where they were defeated 4-1.
    The Grizzlys took the lead 10:40 into the first period, but Colton Vanucci, in an unassisted effort, tied the game up at one apiece soon after.
    The Grizzlys took a 2-1 lead seconds into the third period. Then, two penalties by the Dragons proved to be disastrous. Cavin Leth was sent to the penalty box for high-sticking. The Grizzlys took advantage and scored their third goal of the night only seconds later.
    Mitchell Gartner was called for elbowing with 7 minutes left in the game, which resulted in another Grizzlys goal, their fourth of the night.
    The game marked the first appearance of the Dragons newest player, Harrison Hendrix, recently acquired from the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. Hendrix, a centre forward, joins the team after amassing 13 goals and 12 assists in 28 games so far this season.

The Dragons’ newest player, Harrison Hendrix, is making his presence known on the team. After only three games, Hendrix has racked up three goals and two assists.

    The Dragons came back rested against the Calgary Mustangs, where they wasted no time in establishing a dominant presence throughout the game.
    Several minutes into the game, after the Mustangs were left short handed following a high-sticking penalty, Dakota Zaharichuk gave the Dragons their first goal of the night and first powerplay goal since December 14.
    Gartner followed up two minutes later with a shorthanded goal. Stephen Doane scored the Dragons’ third goal, this time at even strength, at 15:15 into the first.
    Hendrix scored his first goal as a Dragon with 25 seconds left in the second period.
    The Mustangs scored their first goal of the night with just under seven minutes left in the game. It proved too little, too late as Hendrix scored his second of the night soon after.
    The two teams met for a rematch on Wednesday night. The Dragons routed the Mustangs again, this time 4-1.
    Hendrix and Brodie Jamieson gave the Dragons a 2-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. The Mustangs scored their only goal of the night halfway through the first.
    The Dragons sent a barrage of shots at the Mustangs net, 48-21, throughout the night and dominated the offensive zone.
    Before the night was done, Bryton Mills and Christopher Rauckman added two more goals for the Dragons in the second and third periods, respectively.
    After the two games, the Dragons closed to two points behind the Okotoks Oilers  in the standings with 48 points.
    The Dragons are back at home tonight where they will take on the Camrose Kodiaks. On Saturday, they host the Canmore Eagles. Both games start at 7:30 p.m.

    The Dragons netted their first win of 2013 and it couldn’t have been any closer.
    On Wednesday night, the Okotoks Oilers, the Dragons closest rivals in the standings,  came to the Dragons den. The game had the potential to bring the Dragons within striking distance of overtaking the Oilers in the standings.
    In a come-from-behind victory, settled only by the last shooter in a shootout, the Dragons came up with a 3-2 victory.
    The Dragons took the upper hand on the scoreboard 11:33 into the first period. Colton Vanucci, fighting for the puck behind the Oilers net, managed to get it out front to a waiting Christopher Rauckman, who stuffed it in for the Dragons first goal of the night.
    The hard earned lead only lasted just over a minute. The Oilers, with some tic-tac-toe, snuck a shot through the five-hole of the Dragons newest goalie, Etienne Roy. The Oilers followed up with their second goal with just a minute left in the first period.
    Both teams battled back and forth in a scoreless second period. It wasn’t until 10 minutes into the third when the Dragons, fighting to tie the game, did so on a solo effort by Cavin Leth.
    Neither team could get the upper hand before the end of the third and the game was forced into overtime. In the end, it was yet another shootout that decided the victor.
    The Dragons previous two shootout attempts, which were against the Fort McMurray Oil Barons on December 21 and January 2, ended in losses for the Dragons.
    However this one proved to be in the Dragons favour. The Oilers were up first and could not break through Roy. Their following two attempts ended up scoreless.
    The Dragons sent out Rauckman and then Brad Deagle, who both came up empty handed. Dakota Zaharichuk, the final shooter, stuffed the puck past Oilers goalie Jared D’Amico for the Dragons third goal and the win.
    The win gives the Dragons 44 points on the season, only three behind the Oilers, who still earned a point from the loss.
    The Dragons will be looking to build on the momentum this Saturday in Olds against the Grizzlys and on Monday on the road against the Calgary Mustangs.
    The Dragons next home game is next Wednesday against the Mustangs.

Christopher Rauckman (centre) celebrates after scoring the Dragons first goal, and his seventh of the season, against the Okotoks Oilers on Wednesday night. The Dragons, joined by some new faces, defeated the Oilers 3-2 in a tense shootout. The Dragons head to Olds on Saturday to face the Grizzlys and have their next home game next Wednesday.