After a fairly upsetting overtime loss to the Whitecourt Wolverine, the Yaks are ready to calm the Storm in game 3 of a 4-game home stint. Tonight, The Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs welcome the Grande Prairie Storm to the RJ –win your ticket through LCN. 

The Pontiacs took the Wolverines to OT earlier in the week, which has been the norm with Whitecourt. Recently, having lost in a shootout on November 6th. On Tuesday, it was Carter Rhine who opened up scoring in the first at 9:16, off Erik Donald and Charlie Gawlicki. Playing forward seems to be working out for the former D-man, who has racked up 3 goals in as many games since being called to the front lines. Watch more on Carter Rhines on LCN’s YouTube Channel -Subscribe Now! 

Chad Hurtubise secured the Pontiac’s lead with a goal at 16:25, from Derek Brown and Gen Bryshun. The Wolverines, Dondre Watson and Bryson Traptow, answered back in the second at 7:37 and 8:19, before the Pontaics’ Brandon Whistle put in a power play beauty at 14:42 from Donald and Brinson Pasichnuk. Putting the Pontiacs at a 3-2 lead heading into the final 20 minutes of play.

Pontiac’s Defenseman, Bryan Gerstenfeld explains the team got on the Wolverines early, “we really took it to them. It’s a long bus ride here from Whitecourt, so we wanted to take advantage of that, and not let them get their legs into it.” Even after the two goals in the second, the Pontiacs’ heads were still in the game, says Gerstenfeld, “after they came back in the second with those two goals, we did a good job of not getting down and getting that third goal to go back up.”

Whistle says the mindset heading into the third was to stay consistent, “just to keep going. Every time we’ve played [Whitecourt], they’ve battled back or we’ve had to battle back. Every time we score, they score and we didn’t want that to happen. Unfortunately it did.”

We showed resilience all night – Bryan Gerstenfeld Bonnyville Pontiacs

Into the third Whitecourt Joseph Nardi scored twice, before Whistle was able to tie up the game at 8:27 to force extra time. The feeling on the bench heading into overtime was positive, says Whistle, “everyone was pumped up and everyone wanted that win so bad. An overtime loss and two shootout losses, we just really wanted it.” The Wolverines’ Eric Pedersen got the win just 1:01 into overtime. “We had some costly mistakes and ended up losing the game because of it,” states Whistle

We took them right down to the wire, but unfortunately we lost – Brandon Whistle Bonnyville Pontiacs

Defenseman, Bryan Gerstenfeld says it was a disappointing result, “I think we played them pretty well, definitely a game that we should’ve ended up winning. There were a few break downs.” Not all was lost in the game, says Gerstenfeld, “you gotta be happy with the effort that the guys put forward.”

It’s a little bit frustrating, knowing that 3 or 4 mistakes cost us the game – Bryan Gerstenfeld Bonnyville Pontiacs

Whistle says the game plan heading into tonight’s match-up won’t change, the team will continue to work within the structures that have been built for them by the coaching staff. “Play our structure and we’ll get a win, hopefully.”

“It just comes down to making a lot of noise for the little things and staying positive,” says Gerstenfeld. Tonight’s game is 7:30 at the RJ Lalonde Arena.