BONNYVILLE - It’s been a productive season for the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs.
The Pontiacs hold second place in the 11-team Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), sitting behind the first-place Whitecourt Wolverines. So far, the Pontiacs have accumulated 62 points during the regular season.
“The ‘23-24 season has been an exciting one with many changes in the junior hockey landscape, but also another great year of Pontiac’s hockey,” says Neil Langridge, associate general manager.
On Feb. 21, the Pontiacs dropped a 2-1 decision against the Camrose Kodiaks in front of a hometown crowd at the R.J. Lalonde Arena. The team has two more regular season home games scheduled for March 1 and 2 and hopes to hold onto its spot in the standings.
Langridge says the last home game was a good contest with the Kodiaks, who he described as being the “hottest team in the last 10 games.”
“It was a playoff style game that was low so scoring and settled in overtime,” he says, adding, “If we are successful in finishing in second place, it will only be the second time in franchise history, and we look to have a lengthy playoff run.”
Earlier this year, the AJHL saw the exodus of five clubs - the Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Blackfalds Bulldogs, the Spruce Grove Saints and the Sherwood Park Crusaders - to the BC Hockey League (BCHL).
According to Langridge, five teams leaving the league resulted in an unprecedented season. And while there are a lot of uncertainties going forward, he says right now, the Pontiacs are focused on what is in their control - and that’s trying to win each game.
With playoffs around the corner, set to being mid-March, the team is excited and is waiting to see who their first-round opponent will be.
“With the new league schedule, we could face an opponent who was formerly in the South Division, and we would never have faced in the playoffs,” he explains.
While the Pontiacs are committed to moving players to the next level of the game, earlier this year, the team was able to graduate head coach Mario Pouliot into the pro ranks. In January, Pouliot moved overseas to coach in Switzerland.
Since then, the team has promoted its assistant coach, Darick Ste Marie, to interim head coach.
