The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs looked to build off a big shootout win over the Sherwood Park Crusaders Friday, but the team came out “soft as butter” on Saturday, allowing the Okotoks Oilers to take home the two points with a 4-2 win over the Pontiacs at the RJ Lalonde Arena in Bonnyville.
“We only gave up 11 shots through two periods (against Okotoks). We managed to do some good things,” said Pontiacs head coach and general manager Chad Mercier. “But we had too many lapses and they capitalized. We break down in the second and they score. We get one back and then give it right back with another break down in the third. We were as soft as butter out there.”
There was no scoring through the first period Saturday against Okotoks, but early in the second the Oilers broke the deadlock.
The Pontiacs seemed to come on in spurts, scoring early in the third, but both times they hit the back of the net, Okotoks responded with a goal of its own.
Okotoks added one more into the empty net to finish off the Pontiacs hopes for a comeback in front of the home crowd.
On Friday, it was a late burst of energy that lasted much of the second period and into the third that allowed the Pontiacs to come back from a goal down twice to win it in a shootout over the Crusaders.
The Pontiacs opened the scoring in the first, on a goal by Tanner Dusyk, but Sherwood Park responded in the second with two early goals.
Bonnyville tied it up on a powerplay goal by Mitch Owsley, but just over four minutes later the Crusaders retook the lead.
The Pontiacs poured it on in the third and just under five minutes into the period Spencer Foo scored to tie it up at 3-3, eventually sending the game to overtime.
With overtime solving nothing, the teams prepared for a shootout.
Foo was the first shooter.
“I used the same move I used to score against Brooks a few weeks ago but (Crusaders goalie) Tompkins didn't bite, so I was only left with one option, to go upstairs,” explained Foo.
With almost no room left to move, the Pontiacs forward was able to lift the puck over Tompkins' glove for the eventual game-winner.
Pontiacs goalie Stephen Klein stopped all three shooters he faced, getting his team the much needed two points.
With the win Friday, the Pontiacs moved up from fifth in the AJHL's North Division to a tie for second. But after the loss Saturday, the Pontiacs dropped back to fourth, with a record of 23-15-8, good for 54 points, two back of Grande Prairie for third and four points behind Whitecourt for second. Spruce Grove leads the division with 62 points.
The Pontiacs are now on the road for back-to-back games with Grande Prairie tonight and tomorrow, before taking on the Crusaders in Leduc on Saturday.
