Jacobson records Shutout with 4-0 Yaks Victory over Storm

Bonnyville takes double header versus Grande Prairie at home

“It’s a game of passion,” head coach of the Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs, Rick Swan, says there was a lot of emotions on the ice, during Saturday’s game versus the Grande Prairie Storm. The Storm were in town for back-to-back games against the Pontiacs; a series in which the Yaks took both games and four points.

Much like the previous night, it took some time to get points on the board. Unlike the night before it would be the Pontiacs who fired first, with a goal from  Brandon Whistle, just 70 seconds before the close of the first. Charlie Gawlicki and Luke Israel both had helping hands in the goal, that lead the Yaks into the second 1-0.

“Something was missing, for our guys during the first,” Coach Swan says he had some words of encouragement for the boys in the locker room, while the zamboni circled the ice. “It’s like making a cake that looks nice, but it doesn’t taste great.” Coach words intended to inspire the club to clean up their game, after spending 8 minutes of the first in the box. While it didn’t resonate well (the club upped it to 10 minutes in the box in the second), the boys did put some points up on the board. Dylan Stewart put up a goal late in the second from Ryley Hogan and Gen Bryshun, to make it a 2-0 game. And with 36 seconds left in the second, new addition,  Tyler Podgorenko advanced the Pontiacs to 3-0 from Brendan Holterhus and Josh Baker.

“Our second period message was ‘you can’t fight with both hands tied behind your back’,” Swan says the boys were urged to clean up their game and play with discipline during the second intermission. The message appeared to fall on deaf ears, as it took all of five seconds in the third for a fight to break out and send  PJ Marrocco and  Mitchell Oliver for double Game Misconducts and Five for Fightings, along with GP’s  Walker Cote,  Cruz Cote, and  Landon Vollman. The Storm would also get a team penalty Game Misconduct.

“Our third period message was, ‘you’ve gotta have some trust here, for what we’re doing as a team.’ The staged fights that happened in the third period, we just knew that we needed to get through that 20 minutes without getting any suspensions or guys injured or hurt,” the club prevailed on that front and prevailed in taking the game. Veteran power-house,  Alden Dupuis put up the last goal of the game at 8:55 in the third, from Brandon Whistle to make a 4-0 victory for the Pontiacs.

Goalie, Robert Jacobson would collect the game star and a shutout; after a stellar game, saving 25 shots from Grande Prairie.

“We try not to dissect wins, but there are some things to learn from this. First, stay with our game plan. Second, we can’t play in this league shorthanded by taking undisciplined penalties. Third, trust in our structures.” Coach says those three lessons will be a constant reminder to the boys are they prepare for Tuesday’s away game in Spruce Grove.