The dream is over.
A 3-1 loss at the hands of the Spruce Grove Saints effectively ended the season for the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs.
“The guys played great tonight. We sold out. We put everything on the line,” said Pontiacs netminder Troy Trombley. “It sucks to come out on the bad end of the stick, but we left it all out there.”
The Pontiacs gave it all they had against the No. 2 ranked junior team in the country but came up short dropping back-to-back games to lose the series 4-2.
“We got beat by a very good Spruce Grove Saints team, but overall our guys showed up and they played well,” said Pontiacs head coach and GM Rick Swan. “At the end of the day I think the guys can walk away with their chins high and know that they took a pretty darn good hockey team to six games,”
Almost 2,000 screaming fans packed the RJ Lalonde on Sunday night and watched the Pontiacs and Saints play to a 1-1 tie as the game entered the late stages of the third period.
With just over 12 minutes to go the Saints entered the Bonnyville zone and were able to set up a cycle firing shot after shot on Trombley. Eventually Parker McKay found an open Connor James at the top of the slot, who ripped a seeing-eye wrist shot past Trombley to put Spruce Grove in front.
Bonnyville didn't let the goal faze them as they continued to push the Saints, throwing a ton of rubber at young goaltender Matthew Murray.
With time ticking down and the Pontiacs in control of the puck Trombley took his cue and headed for the bench. It was at this exact moment the puck popped out to James who lobbed a 150-foot shot down the ice toward the empty net. The puck bounced once and hit the centre of the wide open Pontiacs goal with Trombley standing at the top of the circle having been unable to retreat back to the net in time.
The empty net tally sealed the deal for the Saints who picked up a 3-1 victory and clinched the series.
“We knew we needed to play a simple game, be physical and we needed to have good goaltending. I thought Troy Trombley gave us an opportunity to win and an opportunity to be successful,” said Swan. Ultimately (Spruce Grove) was the better team that deserved to win.”
Although Bonnyville came out on the losing end, Swan was quick to highlight just how much the team had accomplished over the season.
“We have accomplished what no other Bonnyville Pontiacs team has done in 23 years and that is to get to the third round,” said Swan.
Along with playing a record 15 playoff games the Pontiacs put together the best second half in franchise history going 10-0-5 to end the season, set a record for attendance and rallied an entire community.
“It was a really positive year. When I came here no one looked at us (like they do now). It was a great accomplishment,” said Trombley. “I can't thank the fans enough for selling this place out and being here every game. It was fantastic.”
Overall Swan said he is proud of what the organization was able to accomplish over the past year and feels the experience picked up by the returning players will benefit the team going into the future.
A total of 16 players could return for the 2015-16 season, while seven players will be moving on having ended their junior careers.
Brady Bakke, Ryan Black, Cody Fiala, Mitch Fritz, Dillan McCombie, Trombley and Evan Warmington all played their final Jr. A games on Sunday night.
Black is the only one of the pack who has officially committed to school for next season. He will head to Northern Michigan University to play Division I hockey for the Wildcats.
Even though these graduating players represent a large chunk of the Pontiacs leadership group Swan is optimistic for next season.
“We feel the organization has taken a step in the right direction,” said Swan. “Our recruiting has been excellent to this point. We are looking forward to what we have returning and what we are bringing in. I am really optimistic.”
The Pontiacs will quickly change gears and start preparing for next season as the teams Top Prospects camp is scheduled for May 22 to 24 in Leduc.
