The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs let one slip away at home on Wednesday night. After dominating the Fort McMurray Oil Barons for the better part of the game, outshooting them 43-22, a couple of late mistakes resulted in a tough 2-1 loss.
The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs let one slip away at home on Wednesday night.
After dominating the Fort McMurray Oil Barons for the better part of the game, outshooting them 43-22, a couple of late mistakes resulted in a tough 2-1 loss.
"It's tough to get mad at the team when you're doubling the other team in shots, but we didn't get the win and that is what it comes down to," said Pontiacs co-captain Steenn Pasichnuk.
"They had two good scoring opportunities that they buried, we had at least a dozen (scoring chances) and we didn't capitalize."
The play was fast and furious to start the game with the Pontiacs throwing a ton of rubber at Oil Barons goalie Zach Fortin early on. Bonnyville controlled the play and pace of the game for the majority of the first period, breaking onto the scoreboard midway through the frame.
At 12:58 of the first period Pontiacs winger Brady Bakke picked up a Michael Iovanna pass around the Fort McMurray blue line and fought off a check to spring himself on a break. After his original shot hit Fortin in the pads Bakke followed up and stuffed the puck five-hole to give Bonnyville the one goal lead.
The Pontiacs would make that slim lead hold up for the rest of the first and majority of the second period until a late mistake cost them.
With just over 20 seconds remaining in the first period Oil Barons forward Mitchell Vanderlaan was tripped up and awarded a penalty shot. Vanderlaan, who had scored twice in his last four games, made no mistake going five-hole on Pontiacs netminder Reid Kilburn to tie the game.
Although the teams were tied on the scoreboard heading into the second intermission the Pontiacs still controlled the play and momentum out shooting the Oil Barons 33-18 through two frames.
It was a tight, back-and-forth third period until a roughing after the whistle penalty to Fort McMurray's Trent Lofthouse opened things up.
Bonnyville's powerplay set up in the Oil Barons' zone, working the puck around and getting a few shots on goal, before a misdirected pass was picked of by a stray defender.
Fort McMurray captain Jetlan Houcher, who leads the league with nine goals in eight games, broke in along on Kilburn and ripped a wrist shot short side to give the Barons a 2-1.
"We gave them two real gifts," said Bonnyville head coach Rick Swan. "The first one was a penalty shot that was a preventable thing for our guys. The other one was a breakaway and a shorthanded goal, those are two areas where we will get better and we will learn. As a hockey club we have to take the lessons that are presented to us and work on them."
A check to the head penalty by Pontiacs defenseman Erik Donald with 2:30 remaining hampered a Bonnyville comeback attempt and the Barons held on for the victory.
"They are a heck of a team. It is not like we didn't play a good team here tonight," said Swan. "We pushed them and we made them work and earn everything that they got."
The game was the first of the year for Bonnyville's first line centre Bobby McMann, who was excited to get back into the lineup.
"Honestly it felt great," said McMann. "I was playing with two great guys in Steenn Pasichnuk and Mitch Fritz and things just come easy when you play with them. I got my legs under me and it was a good start."
McMann and the rest of the Pontiacs will be back in action this weekend in Spruce Grove at the annual AJHL showcase. On Friday, Bonnyville will take on Drumheller and Saturday the Pontiacs will meet Canmore. Both games start at 1 p.m. at the Tri Leisure Centre.
