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Payback was a shot away for the Pontiacs, as they took rivals the Lloydminster Bobcats to a shootout last night at the RJ Lalonde. The Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs will have to wait until December 2nd to get revenge on the Bobcats who are 3-0 on the Pontiacs this season.
Head Coach of the Pontaics, Rick Swann, says games decided by a shootout are never his favourite. As a coach, Swann says, “you hate to have games decided by a shootout. It becomes a 50-50 thing or a coin toss.”
The first period was scoreless for both clubs and it was the Pasichnuk brothers who opened up the scoring in the second with a goal from younger brother, Brinson (#29) on a power play at 3:33 off the elder Steen (#89) and line mate Alden Dupuis (#22).
Lloydminster’s Troy Van Tetering fired back at 11:44 to tie up the second.
Although the club fell short, Swann was really impressed with the attitude in the room, “the character, overall, was tremendous. We played a RBC built team, we had a young line-up out, we had our best player in terms of scoring, Bobby McMann out with some veteran players that will be everyday contributors for us.”
“I thought our young guys stepped up great,” says Coach Swann, “it was a physical game and they showed a lot of character. [Rookies] Chasetan Braid (#18) and Chandler Klein (#17) blocking shots, and those are the types of things that get you optimistic. We know we’re going to be a better team.”
“We played a heck of a game against a team that is number five in Canada,” states Swann, “we’re just gonna get better.”
“We played real well,” says Brinson Pasichnuk, “we’re all really proud of each other. We just kept up with the number 5 team in Canada with four vets out and our best player (McMann). That just tells you the character of our team.”
Tied up heading into the third it was the Bobcats’ Taylor Mulder scored late at 18:08. The Pontiacs were able to tie up at 19:47 from Steen Pasichnuk off his brother, Brinson and Klien.
“I was ready to shoot the whole,” explains Brinson who got the pass of Dupuis, “but they were all over me, then Steen popped out. I gave it to him and he tied it up. I just kinda seen him there, it’s hard to hear anyone that late in the game, everyone’s cheering.”
The tie late in the game meant the game went into extra time. After no score in OT a shootout commenced.
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Pasichnuk doubles Swann’s sentiments of the shootout, “shootouts are always a coin toss.”
Ben Mack is new to the Pontiacs, traded early Monday morning, Swann says he’s lived up to their expectations, “Ben Mack was everything that we thought he was going to be. Here’s a kid that comes in yesterday and puts on a Bonnyville Pontiac uniform and looks like he’s been playing with us all year. He’s a dependable, solid, steady defenseman and it brings a veteran presence. He’s just gonna get better.”
Chasetan Braid is another newbie to the Yaks line-up, who’s impressed Swann already, “he’s a young kid that [last night] he played good and showed us signs that he’s going to be a heck of a contributor for us.”
Swann says the game was a great indicator, “our guys, in October, showed us what it’s really gonna be like when it counts.”
Looking ahead to Friday when the Sherwood Park Crusaders are in town, Brinson says, “if we play like [we did against the Bobcats], we’re gonna do real well. We’re gonna beat those guys.”
Pontaics vs Crusaders 7:30 at the RJ Lalonde. Win your tickets on lakelandconnect.net
