So, is the glass half full, or is it half empty? That depends on how you want to look at the Grande Prairie Storm's Saturday game in Drayton Valley.
An optimist can point to the fact that Gus Correale's tying goal with just 1:09 to play forced overtime and gave the Storm a point they would not have got elsewise. The pessimist can point to the fact the Thunder ended up scoring just over two minutes into the extra time to win 4-3 and extend Grande Prairie's losing streak to three games.
After struggling in recent games, the Storm powerplay finally found some life in this contest. Both Brett Printz and Mike Forsyth connected with the man advantage, as the Storm went 2-for-7 on the night. Storm penalty killers, meantime, allowed just one goal against in eight tries for the Thunder.
Curtis Skip was the busier of the two netminders in this game, as Drayton Valley had a 41-31 edge in shots on goal. Skip was especially busy after the first period, as the Thunder outshot the Storm 30-14 during the last two periods and the overtime.
With the win, Drayton Valley gains one point on Grande Prairie in the AJHL North Division standings. The fourth place Storm have 57 points, while the fifth place Thunder now sit at 55.
If there was a silver lining on the night it was that all teams ahead of the Storm in the North also lost. Bonnyville and Whitecourt are tied for second, but are now just one point ahead of Grande Prairie. First place Spruce Grove is five points better than the Storm.
Storm will get a chance to close some ground on the Saints on Tuesday, as the clubs meet in Spruce Grove. After that, it's back home to the Canada Games Arena for games Friday and Saturday agaisnt Fort McMurray and Bonnyville.
– Story submitted by Don Whiteford of www.PeaceCountrySports.com