The Bonnyville Sr. Pontiacs could almost taste the victory.
On Saturday, Nov. 24, they faced off against their rivals, the Daysland Northstars.
After 40 minutes of strong game play, it looked as though the Pontiacs would be celebrating a win, but a slow third would result in a 5-4 loss.
“We had a strong 40, we came out and played the lead the whole game for the first 40 minutes and we were up two goals going into the third, with the chance of getting the points that we desperately need, and we come out empty-handed,” expressed head coach Corey Wandler.
With fans cheering them on from the stands of the RJ Lalonde Arena, the Pontiacs hit the ice for a solid first frame.
First to find the back of the net was the Northstars.
Their success was short-lived after a goal just seconds later from Pontiac Dru Morrison.
It wouldn’t be long into the second before the Pontiacs would once again find the scoresheet. Morrison scored his second goal of the night on a powerplay less than one-minute into the frame.
The home team’s success continued into the period, with Denis Cadrin scoring one of his own.
Daysland didn’t take long to follow, closing the gap 3-2.
Lucas Isley would be the last Pontiac of the night to capitalize.
Dru Morrison carries the puck down the ice during their match-up.
“We came out strong. They had four lines rolling. We got up to a good lead, but our feet stopped moving towards the start of the third and we slowed the game down. They got pucks in deep and they grinded a win out,” Pontiac Dean Cardinal said.
Wandler and Cardinal agreed that the team became too confident in their two-point lead, which is what ultimately cost them the game.
It was less than three minutes into the third when Daysland would score their first of three goals in the final period.
Mid-way through the frame, they would tie the game 4-4, before landing their final goal with two minutes left on the clock.
“We came out flat-footed. We were thinking we were in the win column before the game was even over,” described Cardinal.
Wandler agreed, “I don’t think they came out stronger, I think they came out a little more prepared than we did. We took a team for granted, our guys felt they could sit back and not play the game the right way, and it cost us.”
He added, the team wasn’t giving it their all.
“There just wasn’t enough character in our group in the third, and obviously that’s very disappointing.”
Wandler felt the denfensemen transitioned the puck a lot better, held onto it in order to make plays, and “defended well overall.”
“I thought our forwards, at times, weren’t in-sync with each other, they could have used more communication and supported each other a little bit better. They were trying to make too many long passes versus short passes,” he noted. “They weren’t wanting to go and dig in those tough areas in order to get the job done, and in the end, it resulted in a loss.”
Now, the Pontiacs are headed to Devon for their Dec. 1 match-up, before coming back to the Centennial Centre for their game against Westlock on Dec. 2.
“This one’s going to sting a lot. We’re a desperate hockey club. We’re holding onto the last playoffs spot. We needed these two points, or at least a point, and we came up with nothing to show for,” Wandler expressed.
