By Logan Clow, Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune
It was a tough weekend for the Grande Prairie Storm.
The squad went 1-2 on their three-day road trip against the Okotoks Oilers, Brooks Bandits and Drumheller Dragons.
Friday, Storm forward Jade McMullen scored the team’s lone goal on a first-period powerplay. Oilers rookie defenceman Tanner Ockey lead the response with a pair of goals in a 3-1 Okotoks victory.
The Oilers outshot the Storm 33-21 and Storm goaltender Adam Beukeboom made 30 saves in his second-straight loss between the pipes.
The Storm’s offence remained quiet against the Brooks Bandits on Saturday. Storm forward Ben Assad scored his ninth of the season late in the second period against his former team, to make it a 3-1 game. The Bandits added two insurance goals in the third period to win 5-1.
Liam McLeod was peppered with shots in the Storm goal, making 46 of 50 saves.
On Sunday in Drumheller, Storm forward McMullen and Dragons defender Clint Filbrandt traded first-period goals. Chase Bell put Grande Prairie ahead early in the third with a powerplay marker against former Storm goaltender Curtis Skip, and the Storm hung on to salvage two points from the weekend.
The squad moves to 6-12 and seventh place in the AJHL’s North Division.
Wednesday, the Storm host the Whitecourt Wolverines at Revolution Arena.
It’s the second meeting of the season between the teams. The Storm won their Oct. 7 meeting 4-3, courtesy of Tristan Crozier goal five seconds into overtime, which was recorded as the fastest OT goal in AJHL history.
The Wolverines are 4-10-2 and sitting last in the North Division. Whitecourt is coming off a 4-3 win against the Drayton Valley Thunder on Oct. 17. Since the Oct. 7 meeting, the Wolverines have won one of their last five games.
Game time Wednesday is 7:30 p.m.
