Yaks take down Bobcats 6-1

The Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs took down the Lloydminister Bobcats, 6-1, on Tuesday at the RJ Lalonde Arena. The win adds to the success the Yaks have been experiencing as of late, Assistant Coach for the Pontiacs, Neil Langridge says it’s apparent the season series is tilting in Bonnyville’s direction. “The season series is starting to tilt, it’s what we were aiming for,” the game marked the fifth time the Pontiacs have met the Bobcats, with the Yaks taking four games.

Zach Aston opened scoring in the game at 3:52 in the first, on a power play. The goal came shortly after Lloydminister’s  Olson Werenka was taking a 10 minute game ejection penalty. Riley Smith and Lucas Thorne collected the apples on the goal. Seven minutes later, also on the power play, Charlie Gawlicki  made it a 2-0 game with help from Derek Brown and PJ Marrocco. Bobby Young with Lucas Thorne and Nicholas Ormon closed the period 3-0 for the Pontiacs with 30 seconds left in the first.

It was kinda a fluke play. The puck got turned over in the middle. Thorne got down below the net, he told me the pass was for Smitty; but I knocked it down and put it in! – Bobbby Young #16 Forward Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs

Early in the second, Captain, Charlie Gawlicki had to go take a time out for slashing. The break gave Lloyd their only goal, from  Kobe Walker, with the assist to Zach Webb. It was a 3-1 hockey game at the RJ… But not for long.  Gawlicki would make up for the goal six minutes later with help from Kirby Proctor and PJ Marrocco with his linemate Derek Brown would help the Pontiacs advance further with a 5-1 score after 40 minutes.

“We took it to them early, in the first period, and the second period, pretty much the same,” Defenseman Olson Werenka explains the power play really advanced the Yaks’ game, “it’s getting their end and we’re making smart plays. We’re getting down low and our forwards are screening the goalie; so we’re getting it on net, as D-man.”

The Pontiacs continued to take advance of the power play with the final goal of the evening, coming at 16:59 in the third, from Brayden Goulet, with assists to Lucas Thorne and Nicholas Ormon. It was a 6-1 decision at the RJ Lalonde. Head Coach Rick Swan says he was pleased to see the drive in his players, “sometimes players can look at the last time we played these guys and complacency can set it.” Swan saw drive in the team on Tuesday, “we have a good young team and if we move puck, boy, we can move fast. The more we move pucks, the faster of a team we are, and the harder we are to play against; we’re starting to figure it out.”

We know and believe in this group. We have a plan in place and the plan is to make sure that we take care of things now and build for the future. – Rick Swan Head Coach Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs

The Pontiacs will be home for the next three games. Starting things off on Friday versus Grande Prairie. Puck drop is 7:30 pm at the RJ!