A single point is all the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs managed to pick up on Friday night, dropping the home opener 3-2 in a shootout to the Lloydminster Bobcats.
“One point is not enough, you always want to get two, especially at home,” said new Pontiacs captain Braiden Doucette.
Jitters of playing in front of a packed RJ Lalonde Arena got to the Pontiacs, leading to a series of penalties early on.
Michael Iovanna took a slashing penalty at 4:23 of the first. Mark Zvonkovic followed it up with a high-sticking minor 11 seconds later and Ryan Black took a crosschecking penalty 1:10 after that.
Bonnyville's penalty kill hung in there against the Lloydminster powerplay, killing off the 5-on-3 advantage before eventually allowing a goal 5-on-4.
The Bobcats held on to the lead until the 14:05 mark, when Pontiacs forward Mitch Fritz tipped a Martin Lavallee point shot past Lloydminster goalie Devin Green. The goal allowed the Pontiacs to come out of the first even with the Bobcats despite being outshot 13-6.
“It was big. We wanted to get the momentum back after we were done killing off the 5-on-3,” said Fritz. “It was a big goal.”
As the game went on the young Pontiacs squad settled down and kept pace with Lloydminster. Bonnyville was given a chance to take the lead having three powerplays in the period. The team generated puck movement but couldn't beat Green.
The Bobcats retook the lead at the 14:09 mark of the second when forward Evan Tschumi banged the puck past Pontiacs goaltender Reid Kilburn during a mad scramble in front of the Bonnyville net.
“(Our play) was a lot better but we still got more to give,” said Black after the second period. “We've got to be a lot better than that. We've got to be getting more shots. We need to start doing what we do as Pontiacs in getting shots and getting hits; that's our identity and what we need to be doing right now.”
Bonnyville set some goals in the second intermission and came out on fire to start the third. They controlled the play, were playing a lot more physical and getting pucks towards the net.
The inspired play paid off at 12:41 when forward Ryan Symington deposited a rebound into the back of the net to tie the game 2-2.
Tempers flared in final minutes of the third and carried over into the extra frame, resulting in both teams filling the penalty boxes. It was clear the two teams didn't like each other much.
“We don't like Lloydminster at all,” said Doucette. “I don't think anyone in our dressing room cares for them at all to be honest. They are a big rival.”
With overtime solving nothing the two teams when to a shootout. Lloydminster's final shooter, Austin Yaremchuck, found the back of the net, scoring the only goal of the shootout.
“Our young guys need some work and we just have to be patient with them,” said Pontiacs head coach and GM Rick Swan.
“They need to stop being overwhelmed at this level. We do have a young group out there and they know that it is a big jump from midget. We just have to focus on us. Not worry about the speed of play. Not worry about the physicality. I thought that when we started to focus on us we started to relax a little bit and make better decisions.”
Swan says the team plans to focus on structure and making sure players become more comfortable playing at the Junior A level.
Bonnyville's next game is Saturday at home against the Grande Prairie Storm. The team expects to have winger Luke Mahura back in the lineup and is hopeful to get centre Bobby McMann back as well.
The Pontiacs and Storm have played twice already this season, splitting the two games, with each picking up a win.
