After having the team's modest four-game winning streak snapped by the Spruce Grove Saints on Feb. 15, the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs bounced back with a decisive 5-1 win over the Lloydminster Bobcats last Friday in Bonnyville.
But things quickly turned sour the next night in Lloyd, as the Bobcats exacted revenge, winning 6-2 over the Pontiacs.
Splitting the back-to-back affairs with Lloyd left the Pontiacs in sole possession of third place in the AJHL's North Division, with 69 points, one ahead of Fort McMurray and Whitecourt and three back of Grande Prairie for second place.
Despite the loss Saturday, the Pontiacs have been playing their best hockey all season during the month of February, scoring 21 goals in the team's five wins this month.
Leading the way has been many of the veterans on the team, in particular 20-year-old Ty Carey, who grew up in Bonnyville watching the Pontiacs and is now in his final season with the team.
Carey has not only been a force offensively, picking up seven points over his last six games, but also defensively as well as in the physical department.
Pontiacs head coach and general manager Chad Mercier said he will need the veterans on the team to lead the way as they near the end of the regular season and start preparing for playoffs.
“We need our top guys to lead the way if we're going to have any success this year,” he said. “They have taken that extra step over the past few weeks and we're going to need that to continue.”
The team will also need some of its younger players to continue to improve and take on bigger roles, as several veterans have been knocked out of the lineup of late.
Currently on the injured list are the team's top scorer Tanner Dusyk, and 20-year-old forwards Levi Ansell and Max Collins.
Eighteen-year-old Connor Garden, who scored two goals in Friday's win said for the younger players, getting on a role heading into playoffs is key.
Teammate and 17-year-old forward Luke Mahura has been on a role of late, riding a four-game point streak, while 18-year-old forward Spencer Foo has six points in his last six games.
“We have guys stepping up and standing up for each other right now,” said Garden. “We're coming together at the right time.”
The Pontiacs have two more regular season games, both against Fort McMurray, with one being played tonight in Bonnyville at 7 p.m.
Bonnyville's final game of the season will go at 7:30 in Fort McMurray on Wednesday.
