The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs had a win and a loss during their first two home games of the season.
While the team came out on top against the Drayton Valley Thunder at the R.J. Lalonde Arena on Friday, Sept. 20, the momentum didn’t continue the following day.
Playing for a packed barn
The Pontiacs were determined to win their home opener of the season, and the boys didn’t disappoint.
On Friday, Sept. 20, the local Jr. A team refused to let a win slip through their fingers and they came out on top 7-2 against the Drayton Valley Thunder.
Rookie left winger Matt McKim was blown away by the atmosphere in the arena.
“It’s good to get our first game in our own rink, and I think the boys capitalized… We still have a long way to go, but I think this is a good group, we’re excited, and expecting to go far.”
Joel Ray found the back of the net on a powerplay just after the two-minute mark in the first.
Not to be outdone by his captain, Pontiac Daine Dubois added his name to the scoresheet.
Drayton Valley added another point to the scoreboard less than 10 minutes into the first. Extending the Pontiacs lead 3-1 before the first intermission was Marc-Antoine Benoit.
It was during the second from Drayton Valley took their frustrations out, and the teams broke out into three separate brawls throughout the 20-minute period.
“We as a team can’t be satisfied with the number of penalties we took,” expressed head coach Rick Swan. “We can’t be satisfied with some of the habits that crept into our game… What I mean by that is being on our own page, because if we don’t take care of those habits we won’t be able to establish our style and team identity.”
The Pontiacs alone wracked up 26 minutes in the penalty box during the second.
“What we’re doing out there is trying to protect our teammates, so when someone from our team or from the other team gets hit in a dirty way, you’re sticking up for your guys and there was a lot of that out there,” McKim described.
Regardless of the distractions, Bonnyville dominated the scoreboard, with Joshua Kroon finding the back of the net at 1:27.
A standout goal for Swan was in the second period by Kash Rasmussen, who’s proving himself after spending last season benched due to an injury.
“He works hard, plays the right way, and he’s good defensively and he’s a good offensive scorer… Kash is where he is just because of the high character that he has, both as a hockey player and as a person as well,” he expressed.
McKim scored his first goal of the night, followed by Alex Marrocco landing a goal of his own and bringing the Pontiacs to their final 7-2.
“Dubois found me up top, I had a lot of room to shoot, there was a great screen by (Joel Ray), and it found its way in,” Marrocco recalled.
Although the final point went to Drayton Valley, they couldn’t catch up to Bonnyville.
Thunder leaves Pontiacs in their wake
The Pontiacs weren’t able to ride their success to the following game on Sunday, where they fell 2-1.
Both teams were evenly matched in the first until Lucas Thorne snuck one past the opposing goalie at the just under the 15-minute mark.
There wasn’t a score change until Drayton Valley tied it up 1-1 in the second.
The Thunder solidified their win just over a minute into the final frame, and the Pontiacs weren’t able to capitalize before the final buzzer.
The Pontiacs next home game will be on Wednesday, Oct. 2 against the Lloydminster Bobcats. Puck drop is 7 p.m. at the R.J.
