The Bonnyville Pontiacs played a strong game against the Brooks Bandits on Saturday, coming just one goal shy of forcing the game into overtime.
Head coach Chad Mercier pulled goalie Julien Laplante for the extra attacker with less than a minute left, but despite the offensive onslaught, the Bandits stole the game by a score of 3-2.
The Bandits got out to a quick lead against the Pontiacs Saturday night with a goal early in the first. With less than four minutes left in the first period, Levi Ansell tied the score, assisted by Jordon Krankowsky and Devon Kalinski.
Bandits broke the tie 23 seconds into the second period, and followed up with another goal just past the 15-minute mark.
The Pontiacs stormed the ice in the third but did not get the results they needed. Kalinski scored his 24th goal of the season, with assists from Donnie Harris and Michael Westfall with less than five minutes left, but it was too little too late.
The Pontiacs did not push the pace as hard in the first part of the game, but did a better job as the game went on, said Mercier.
“Right now we're fighting some adversity and we're having trouble adjusting to that mentally, and we're not quite hungry enough to go and get the job done right now,” commented Mercier, although he said, “We're not that far off.”
The team's performance in the early part of 2011 has lagged behind somewhat more successful games in 2010.
The team has played some good hockey, but just hasn't had the same results. Injuries on the team are a contributing factor, according to Mercier.
“Things aren't going our way like they did before Christmas, so you've got to learn how to handle that, learn how to deal with that, learn how to push through that.”
Each team fought off three penalties without a goal scored. While impressed with his team on the penalty kill, the team will need to be hungrier on the power play, “to bear down and be determined to score,” said Mercier. “Our goal production has got to get better.”
He credited the team with creating scoring opportunities, but pressed home the need for more determination to put the puck in the net.
Pontiacs lost to the Storm in Grande Prairie 3-2 on Wednesday, and 3-2 in s shootout to the Storm the night before.
In Wednesday's game, Jake Towriss scored on a power play in the first with assists from Kalinski and Tyler Henry. Kalinski scored in the third on another power play with assists from Krankowsky and Marc-Antoine Juneau.
On Jan. 18, Matt Montesano scored with assists from Blake Leask and Ryan Kearns in the second, while Krankowsky scored in the third, assisted by Montesano.
Saturday's game leaves the Pontiacs fourth overall in the league and third in the North division with 64 points. The Pontiacs' current three-game losing streak puts them just two points ahead of the Storm and nine back of the Oil Barons, who sit second in the division.
The Pontiacs face off against the Sherwood Park Crusaders Wednesday night and will challenge the Storm again Friday and Saturday night in Bonnyville.
