The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs season got off to a disappointing start over the weekend with the local squad suffering back-to-back losses at the hands of the rival Lloydminster Bobcats.
The Bobcats – 2016 RBC Cup hosts – came into the RJ Lalonde Arena on Friday night and ruined the Pontiacs much-anticipated home opener squeaking out a 3-2 victory. The following night the Bobcats used their rowdy home crowd at the Centennial Civic Centre Arena to thump Bonnyville 4-0.
“It was a good test to see where we are against an RBC built team today,” said Pontiacs Head Coach and GM Rick Swan after Friday's defeat.
“We know that with our philosophy that it's about working and teaching everyday and staying with the process. I like the compete and I know we are going to be a better team.”
The two rival squads faced-off on Friday night for the first time since a Dillan McCombie overtime goal in Game 6 of their round two playoff series eliminated the Bobcats from the 2015 playoffs.
While many new faces have joined the fold on both squads, the intensity and hatred still remained as the two teams squared off to start the 2015-16 campaign.
A mental lapse in the final two minutes of the first period ending up costing the Pontiacs a pair of goals on Friday night.
Forwards Zac Giroux and Morgan Messenger scored 1:02 apart in the dying minutes of the opening frame to propel the visitors to an early 2-0 lead.
Bonnyville managed to settle down in the second period and keep the game close for the majority of the frame.
With the Pontiacs still trailing by a pair of goals midway through the second frame defenseman Holden Daley squared off with Lloydminster's Austin O'Rourke.
The fight seemed to spark the home side as they showed some life late in the final minutes of the second period.
After several quality scoring chances, including a play where Bobcats netminder Alex Leclerc had to scramble and pull a puck off the goal line, the Pontiacs were able to get on the board via Chandler Klein.
“It felt pretty good,” said Klein. “It is a pretty special feeling getting your first goal here at home.”
Klein walked around a defender at the top of the offensive zone, went in on Leclerc and snapped off a perfectly placed wrist shot short-side to blow the roof off the RJ Lalonde Arena.
“(Klein) was a very good midget player. He is a raw guy who has great upside,” said Swan. “Today he showed great skill being able to walk around a defender on the blue line and then fool a pretty great goaltender.”
The one-goal deficit didn't last long, as the Bobcats were able to strike back just 1:29 into the third period.
Alex Pernitsky's first of the year gave the visitors a 3-1 lead, and would prove to be all the offense Lloydminster would need.
Bonnyville pressured as the period went on, throwing everything they had at Leclerc in an attempt to try and find a pair of late goals to equalize.
With under nine minutes to play defenseman Brinson Pasichnuk busted into the Lloydminster zone with speed, carried the puck to the back of the goal and got tripped up. With the referee's arm raised on a delayed penalty call, Pasichnuk found Bryan Gerstenfeld at the point, who passed it off to an open Bobby McMann in the slot. McMann slid a low shot through traffic and it squeaked five hole on an unexpecting Leclerc.
“I liked the effort, the grit and the battle. Our young guys competed hard, they showed that they are ready to play at this level and they showed they are ready to improve from this performance,” said Swan.
Two goals was all Bonnyville was able to muster on Friday night, eventually dropping their season opener 3-2 to their rivals.
“I believed we deserved a better fate out there. I think we out competed them and out shot them for close to 60 minutes,” said Pontiacs captain Steenn Pasichnuk. “I am obviously disappointed with the loss, but I know if we bring that effort every night we are going to have a good year.”
The two squads were back in action on Saturday night in Lloydminster with the Bobcats special teams the story on this night. The Bobcats scored two powerplay markers and a shorthanded goal en route to a 4-0 shutout of the Pontiacs.
Austin Yaremchuk scored at 10:01 of the second period snapping a shot past Bonnyville netminder Billy Gorn with teammate Nick Quillan in the box for holding.
Morgan Messenger added to the lead with his second of the season just 2:02 into the third period. The powerplay goal came with Bonnyville's Gen Bryshun serving a hooking penalty.
Approximately seven minutes later, with Ryan Rothenburger sitting for goaltender interference, Taylor Lotoski extended the home sides lead to 3-0.
An empty net goal from Giroux with two seconds left officially sealed the deal on Lloydminsters second victory of the young season.
The Pontiacs now sit in last place in the North Division early on in the season with an 0-2 record.
Bonnyville will look to get into the win column on Tuesday night (Sept. 15) when they host the Spruce Grove Saints at the RJ Lalonde Arena.
They will then host Grande Prairie on Friday night and Whitecourt on Saturday night before heading down to Sherwood Park on Sunday afternoon.
