The Jasper Grizzlies Midget girls hockey team battled hard but couldn’t come out ahead in two back-to-back weekend games against Westlock, said coach Mark Cowan.

Westlock, the top team in the Sturgeon Pembina Minor Hockey League, won Saturday 4-1, and Sunday 5-3. 

“The key to the game was fore-checking,” said Cowan, “The girls put the pressure on them and played great.”

It’s been rewarding watching the team improve over the season. “At the start of the year, we were hanging near the bottom,” Cowan said. “This was probably the best game all year, and we’ll be looking for more of that for the rest of the season.”

The Grizzlies play in their last regular season game in Edson on Jan. 31, before playoff games begin.