Local Sports

The Novice players are full of grins and bravado, before hitting the ice, readying to skate hard, score goals and have fun at their weekend novice tournament in St. Paul.

Mark Letestu's No. 11 will be raised into the rafters of the RJ Lalonde arena on Jan. 30, as the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs pay tribute to the Edmonton Oilers forward.

Bobby McMann snapped a wrist shot past the outstretched blocker of goaltender Tanner McCorriston 1:35 into overtime as the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs defeated the visiting Whitecourt Wolverines 5-4 on Friday night.

Bonnyville residents are going to be getting an opportunity to see some of their favourite Montreal Canadiens alumni in action on the ice.

The St. Paul Canadiens hosted a Bantam boys hockey tournament this weekend, bringing in talent from across Alberta with teams from Kitscoty, Okotoks, Drayton Valley, Slave Lake, and High Prairie.

The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs have added depth to their crease acquiring 18-year-old goaltender Gunnar Neilsen from the Mission City Outlaws. Neilsen, a six-foot, 154-pound netminder from Abbotsford, B.C.

Brinson Pasichnuk's whirlwind season is continuing as the local 18-year-old defenceman has been selected to play in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Prospects Game. “It is a pretty cool honour. It is going to be fun,” said Pasicnhuk.

The home crowd turned out in full force for the Saddle Lake Warriors Saturday’s night game against rivals, the St. Paul Canadiens, with the Warriors having reason to believe it could come out with a win, facing a depleted Canadiens team.

Although the St. Paul Jr. B Canadiens took home two wins from this weekend’s games, the wins weren’t very pretty or easy to achieve, and the team was left shorthanded after Friday’s physical game against Vermilion.

Shootout goals by Derek Brown and Brinson Pasichnuk propelled the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs to a 3-2 victory over the league leading Spruce Grove Saints on Saturday night.