Pontiacs perform in playoff like test in Whitecourt

“The game is fair,” is an aphorism that head coach Mario Pouliot uses often behind the Bonnyville Pontiacs bench. 

It was used again on Saturday night to describe a Pontiacs win 5-2 over the Whitecourt Wolverines, a much needed bounce back after losing the previous night 5-1. 

The Francophone head coach isn’t in full command of the English language, but he does know the language of hockey. He blended up his lines, found offensive contributions up and down his lineup, en route to the playoff-game like win. 

“That was the response we need, the response we expected too from our team that’s been so resilient all year,” said assistant coach Connor Cadaret.

“To steal a phrase from Mario, ‘the game is fair.’ We played really well. We didn’t get our bounces yesterday and even after the first we were trailing. But we outplayed them and then got a couple bounces that we earned…you have to earn your luck.”

Ludo Tardif capitalized on a turnover and roofed it over Ben Charette for the critical go-ahead goal in the 3rd period 3-2 and Nico Beaudoin scored a pair to make it 39 on the season, now tied for 9th all-time in Yaks franchise history. 

With solid contributions from Mike Cataldo, who scored his 15th of the season, and Jack Budd on the powerplay with a funny puck off the endboards – the Yaks best players played their best. 

That’s always a recipe for success in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. 

“I thought offensively we were much better understanding the way they defend, understanding the switches we need to make…for those guys to step up was huge. Especially Kobe [Assam], he was impossible to handle down low,” said Cadaret. “The penalty kill was perfect…it was a game we needed.”

The split means with just two games left, Bonnyville is most likely angling to finish 3rd in the North, which would precipitate a matchup vs the Lloyd Bobcats, who they beat five out of six tries. 

They sit two points behind the Wolverines, and Whitecourt has a game in hand, the Yaks have the tiebreaker with more regulation wins. 

Sherwood Park sits two points behind Bonnyville, and could make the race interesting if they win out their remaining games. 

Matteo Giampa had an eight game point streak snapped on Saturday, but with his 63rd assist of the season Friday, now is 3rd all-time in franchise history in single season assists. 

The top line with Beaudoin and Seguin are all top-15 in the league in goals. 

Shorthanded on Saturday, the Yaks snuffed out the Wolverines 5th best league powerplay, by hardly allowing possession in their zone on the oppositions’ three attempts. 

Kobe Assam registered his first point with Bonnyville in his sixth game, helping out on the Beaudoin insurance goal with two minutes left in the regulation. 

Bodee Weiss navigated difficult waters and made timely stops in the Saturday game, but the Yaks overall team defence was better as well. 

They outshot and outchanced Whitecourt in both games. 

The intensity is rising and the Pontiacs seem poised to get the real season started on Friday, March 10. 

But there are still two more games to go, on the road vs Drayton Valley on Wednesday, and home to the Grande Prairie Storm on Anti-Bullying night. 

This is the 8th season in franchise history the Yaks have achieved 35 wins or more. Last season, the Yaks went 36-16-8 for 80 points. 

You can listen to every game, all season on lakelandconnect.thedev.ca/pontiacs. 

Scenarios: 

• Bonnyville can finish 2nd if: they win their remaining two games and Whitecourt goes 1-2 or worse this week. 
• Bonnyville finishes 3rd if: they finish at least tied in points with the Sherwood Park Crusaders. By winning both their games, they can finish no worse than 3rd.  
• Bonnyville finishes 4th if: they lose one of their remaining two, and the Crusaders maintain a record of 2-0-1 or better.