Last Tuesday, the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs’ playoff season came to an abrupt end in round two, when they lost four straight games to the Spruce Grove Saints.
I’m sure I wasn’t the only one holding their breath as the clock ran out in the final frame in their last matchup against Spruce Grove where they fell 1-0.
It was a heartbreaker game, and the Pontiacs’ year was cut-short much too early.
With the season over for the local junior A team, I started reflecting on what I learned while covering them. If you had told me when I moved to Alberta that I would enjoy the sport, I wouldn’t have believed you.
Before starting at the Nouvelle, I knew very little about hockey, and I generally avoided it at all costs. I didn’t grow up watching the Toronto Maple Leafs like many people I know. I’m a Blue Jays fan, and preferred baseball altogether.
The first time I was assigned to cover a Pontiacs game, I’ll admit I panicked. How was I going to cover a sport I knew very little about?
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It started to become a routine to spend my weekends and evenings at the R.J. Lalonde Arena, and I started to get to know the team. With each success, my hope for the Pontiacs grew, and I knew they were going to accomplish great feats this year.
I started to understand the game itself more, and I became more comfortable taking photos at the rink. I actually started looking forward to covering games and shocked my friends and family at home with the confession that I was becoming a hockey fan.
Heading into playoffs, I, along with everyone else, thought the team was going to go far. I knew every single player and coach wanted the championship, and I longed to see them win it.
Regardless of the outcome, this year’s team was amazing to watch. They broke franchise records, hit the ice with determination, and did their fans proud.
In sports, there’s always a winner and a loser. That’s just how the cookie crumbles. It doesn’t lessen the successes the Pontiacs saw throughout the season.
That’s why I’m dedicating this column to the 2018/19 Bonnyville Pontiacs, and am thanking them for introducing me to a sport that I never thought I’d enjoy. It was a great way to start my first year at the Nouvelle, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
For full coverage of their awards banquet, see Page 18.
