The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs exploded for 11 goals in two games at home this weekend, destroying two visiting South Division opponents in the process.
The Pontiacs cruised to a 4-0 win over the Drumheller Dragons Friday and followed that up with a 7-3 shellacking of the Olds Grizzlys Saturday.
Pontiacs forward Tommy Barszcz scored a hat trick against the Grizzlys Saturday and now leads the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) with 11 goals. These were the type of performances the team expects on a nightly basis, he said.
“This was a great response after a brutal game in Fort McMurray. We knew we had to step it up,” Barszcz explained, following Saturday's win. The Pontiacs lost 5 – 0 to Fort McMurray last Tuesday.
“We came out with a big game (Friday), putting almost 50 shots on net and it was the same thing (Saturday). Now we just have to keep it going.”
Barszcz scored the first two of his three goals Saturday on the power play. The Pontiacs added two more power play goals on the weekend, going four for 10 in the two games.
Pontiacs head coach and general manager Chad Mercier said the team's power play was a key factor in the weekend wins.
“I thought we did a tremendous job on our power play. That really got us going offensively and contributed to a big weekend for us.”
Mercier added, “Those weren't easy games by any means. You've got to give our opponent credit. But these are the types of positive things we want to see. We'll take it and look to build from this.”
Along with the offensive output, the Pontiacs are also receiving some solid goaltending from 17-year-old Curtis Honey, who carried a 174-minute shutout streak over three games, before a breakdown on the Pontiacs penalty-kill allowed the Grizzlys to snap the streak seven and a half minutes into the third period of Saturday's game.
Pontiacs players and coaches have been thoroughly impressed with the team's goaltending duo of Honey and Tennessee product Dylan Wells so far this season.
“This was quite the shutout streak Curtis put together at home,” said Mercier following Saturday's win. “When the game is on the line he is there to make the key saves. As a 17-year-old, that is not an easy thing to do and he has done a tremendous job for us and got rewarded again.”
Barszcz said the team feels confident regardless which goalie takes the reins in a particular game.
“Our goaltending's been saving our butts. Honey's unbelievable. Wells' is unbelievable. We have two amazing goalies that can come in any night.”
He said the boys felt bad allowing Honey's shutout streak to end Saturday.
“We felt bad, the goal was kind of our fault. He should have had another shutout but we had a breakdown. We wanted to get a few back for him so we went out and scored a couple more to help him out.”
Honey talked about his own game of late.
“The biggest things for me are consistency and getting involved in the game early,” he said. “I'm always communicating out there, trying to play the puck as much as possible and staying engaged.”
Honey said his teammates have been strong defensively. “They've controlled the play and have kept the shots to the outside and I was able to make the saves I'm supposed to make.”
The Pontiacs first-year goalie credits his progression to getting plenty of ice time and playing alongside another skilled goaltender in Wells.
“I think it's a matter of getting those first five games under your belt in the AJHL and just adapting to a whole different level of play,” he said. “In practice me and Wells push each other. He is an amazing goalie and I've learned a lot from him. I think we make a good one-two punch.”
With the offensive outbursts this weekend, several Pontiacs padded their point totals.
Barszcz picked up four points, adding an assist Friday to his second hat trick of the season. Forward Tanner Dusyk also picked up four points on the weekend, netting two goals Friday and two assists the next night. He was also named the game star in Friday's affair, while Barszcz picked up Saturday's honour.
Defenceman Jordon Krankowsky dished out four assists on the weekend, including two point shots in the first period of Saturday's game, both of which directly led to power play goals.
Two players had three-point weekends, as co-captain Dante Borrelli potted a goal and two assists, while forward Ryan Kearns picked up three assists.
Newcomer, 16-year-old Logan Harland, scored his first goal in a Pontiacs uniform in the third period of Saturday's game and added an assist minutes later on Barszcz's hat trick goal.
The Pontiacs will face rival Lloydminster Bobcats tonight (Tuesday) in a matchup that will see the winner sitting alone in second place in the AJHL's North Division. The Pontiacs enter the game with an 11-4 record, one point ahead of Lloyd, with one more game played.
Barszcz said after Saturday's win, the team was already looking forward to Tuesday night's game at the R.J. Lalonde Arena.
“Monday we'll practice really hard and then Tuesday is a big game. We want that one bad.”
Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
