BEIJING, CHINA: Alex Grant has done it again.
After scoring on the first two shots he ever took in the National Hockey League (NHL), the Antigonish native remarkably scored on another first shot he recently took, however this time, it was on one of the largest athletic stages in the world at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
In Canada’s 5-1 win over Germany on Feb. 10, Eric O’Dell steamrolled Germany’s Marco Nowek, setting up Grant at the point to score Canada’s first goal of the game, and the Olympics.
In a Team Canada player profile, the 33-year-old defenceman described himself as a shooter, which he didn’t take long to prove, as his goal came off of an accurate wrist shot that squeaked by the German goaltender’s blocker at the 4:43 mark of the first period.
“We did a great job preparing for the game… Anytime you have a start like that, you’ve got to be pretty happy with it,” Grant told media following the game. “We kind of had a little dip eventually in the game but then we got back on track.”
Municipality of the County of Antigonish Warden Owen McCarron told The Reporter the community is very proud to see Grant representing his country at the Beijing Olympics.
“Certainly shines a nice light on our community, having a local guy that came up though the local program and has done very well for himself,” McCarron said. “I’m going to be pretty proud to sit down and watch a local guy on the big screen to perform for us, very proud. I know for his family, it’s an extremely proud moment for them, but a really proud moment for our community too.”
In Canada’s second preliminary game on Feb. 11, in which they came up short 4-2 against their cross-border rivals, the United States, Grant was held off the scoresheet in a physical affair. In the second period, things got a little chippy; as U.S. veteran Brian O’Neill attempted to power to the Canadian net, Grant buried him into goaltender Eddie Pasquale, whose helmet popped off.
After not recording any points in the loss against the Americans, Grant was back on the scoresheet in Canada’s 5-0 victory over China on Feb. 13.
In addition to taking a two minute tripping penalty in the first period, Grant recorded an assist on Adam Tambellini’s goal not long after stepping out of the penalty box.
At the 6:44 mark of the opening period, Grant made a long, defence-splitting stretch pass through the neutral zone to the tape of Tambellini’s stick, who flew into the offensive zone and slide the puck through the five-hole.
“I’m living out a dream I’ve had since I was a kid,” Grant said in his player profile. “And I don’t take it for granted.”
Team Canada scored four power play goals in their 7-2 victory over China on Feb. 15. They will play Sweden in the quarter final match up at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.