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Pontiacs show the Wolverines they're the team to beat

The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs first puck drops of the season ended in wins. The local hockey team started their regular season strong with two wins against the Whitecourt Wolverines on Friday, Sept. 14, and Saturday, Sept. 15.
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The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs had a strong showing during the AJHL showcase over the weekend.

The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs first puck drops of the season ended in wins.


The local hockey team started their regular season strong with two wins against the Whitecourt Wolverines on Friday, Sept. 14, and Saturday,       Sept. 15. The back-to-back games were triumphant, with a final score of 3-2 in both games, regardless of the fact that the Pontiacs were playing in enemy territory.


Head coach Rick Swan was pleased with the team’s performance, and thought it was a great way to start the season.


“It was a real tough test, and a difficult play-to-play in Whitecourt. They’re notoriously very well coached, and their teams play hard, physical, and tough. We knew that with our only five exhibition games, and the adversity that we had in preseason that we were going to have to make some adjustments. We were going to have to adapt to a team we knew would be well prepared, and we thought we had some real strong performances as a team,” noted Swan.


The wins allowed the Pontiacs to showcase their talents, while proving they’re a force to be reckoned with.


“It brings together a skilled game with a lot of grit,” Swan expressed. “It was great to get two points on Friday night, and then come back from a 2-1 deficit to win again 3-2 (on Saturday). Overall, I’m very happy with what we’ve got.”


Showing the Wolverines


who’s boss


On Friday night, Isaac Saniga netted two goals for the Pontiacs. The first came during a powerplay less than 10 minutes into the first.


Whitecourt responded, finding the back of the net later in the first.


The Pontiacs third goal of the night would come from Joel Ray just over three minutes into the final period.


In the final minutes of the game, Whitecourt capitalized on a powerplay of their own. It was too little, too late, and the Pontiacs walked away with a 3-2 win.


Another success for the Pontiacs


During their second night in Whitecourt, the young Pontiacs would once again find success, starting with Jaden York’s goal in the first frame.


The Wolverines would get one past Bonnyville’s goaltender before the buzzer, starting the second period with a 1-1 tie on the scoreboard.


The second period was a hard-fought battle, but neither team managed to find the back of the net.


Getting their second goal of the night, Whitecourt snuck another past the goalie at the start of the third, but it wouldn’t be long before Bonnyville responded.


They scored their second goal of the night just under the nine-minute mark, with Luke Albert celebrating his handiwork.


Three minutes later, Thorne scored a powerplay goal after accepting a pass from Albert to give the Pontiacs the lead.


For some of the players, these were their first games played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).


Swan saw it as “a huge test” for the young Pontiacs, such as Ethan Leyer, Jaden York, and Cody Lehner.


“With their first taste of coming into the AJHL, they  really showed a lot of composure, and, as coaches, there’s a lot of promise throughout the year,” he noted.


The Pontiacs are preparing for their first home game of the season on Friday, following an away game against the Sherwood Park Crusaders on Wednesday.


“We’ve got some work to do this week to get prepared for our home opener. I think we’ve got the makings of a team that we can be optimistic about being successful this year,” expressed Swan.


This will be the first time the Pontiacs will play on their home ice this season, after the Centennial Centre faced some issues with their ice machine this fall.


Swan said, “It’s been a long time coming. Our guys are really excited to get in front of our own fans on our own rink with our new home jerseys. It’s going to be an exciting evening with lots of festivities going on, and I hope the fans come out to get a real good glimpse of what to expect for the season.”


The first home game of the season is this Friday, Sept. 21 against the Sherwood Park Crusaders at the     R.J. Lalonde Arena. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m.

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