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Pontiacs bounce back on home ice

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Pontiac Chayce Schmidt fights for control of the puck during their matchup against Fort McMurray on Dec. 7. - Photo by Robynne Henry

A home stretch for the Bonnyville Pontiacs saw the team pick up two wins and a loss.

They bested the Sherwood Park Crusaders earlier in the week, and bounced back after a loss over the weekend when the Fort McMurray Oil Barons stopped at the R.J. Lalonde Arena.

Nail-biter win

When the Sherwood Park Crusaders came to town on Wednesday, Dec. 4, the Pontiacs walked away with the 5-4 win.

The first period went to Sherwood Park, who prevented the Pontiacs from scoring and got the only two points of the frame.

After a goal from the Crusaders early in the second, the Pontiacs came alive, scoring four points.

It was Daine Dubois who found the back of the net first, followed by Jeremy Gervais. Dubois added his name to the scoresheet a second time in the frame, but Sherwood Park answered with one of their own. The final point of the period went to Pontiac Lucas Thorne, tying it up at 4-4.

The teams were evenly matched in the third, and it looked like the game was headed into overtime, but Pontiac Jaden York saw an opportunity. With less than five minutes remaining, he brought the home team ahead for a 5-4 win.

Pontiacs fall to the Oil Barons

The Pontiacs couldn’t keep their momentum going when they faced off against the Fort McMurray Oil Barons on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Head coach Rick Swan said the team underestimated their opponent,  and ultimately fell 4-3 to the visiting Oil Barons.

“We got outworked,” stated Swan. “It’s the classic cliché that will outworked skill. We gave up way too many shots because I don’t think we worked hard enough defensively without the puck.”

Captain Joel Ray agreed.

“They lost to Lloydminster the night before, and they had a few affiliate players in so we took them lightly and they ended up getting the win in the end.”

Thorne scoring a goal early in the first had the home team coming ahead, but the Oil Barons answered with one of their own before the period was through.

The only point of the second went to the Pontiacs, with Ray finding the back of the net less than six minutes in to take the lead 2-1.

“It comes down to closing the game out,” Thorne noted. “The last 10 minutes there we lost momentum, and we just need to find a way to simplify our game and keep it out of the back of our net.”

With back-to-back goals in the final frame, the Oil Barons walked away with the 3-2 victory.

Bounce back win for the Pontiacs

The Pontiacs got the redemption they were looking for on Sunday, Dec. 8 when they beat the Oil Barons 9-3.

Pontiac Kash Rasmussen put the home team on the scoreboard first less than five minutes into the game, but Fort McMurray answered quickly afterwards.

Finding the back of the net for the Pontiacs was Matthew McKim, but the Oil Barons tied it up at 2-2 before the period was through.

The Pontiacs pulled ahead in the second. Dubois added his name to the scoresheet, followed by Rasmussen. Cam Newton brought Bonnyville’s lead to 5-2.

Gervais capitalized on a power play to start the third off, followed by York bringing the score to 7-2. Pontiac Jaxsen Wyatt snuck the puck past the Oil Baron’s goalie to bring their lead to 8-2.

The Oil Barons may have added a point to their side, but they weren’t able to catch up before the buzzer.

The final point of the afternoon went to Bonnyville, with Dubois ensuring their 9-3 win.

Their next home game is against the Drayton Valley Thunder on Friday, Dec. 13. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

Robynne Henry, Bonnyville Nouvelle

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