Bonnyville Pontiacs defeat the Lloyd Bobcats in six games

Matteo Giampa scored two beautiful goals, Mike Cataldo lit the lamp shorthanded, and Bodee Weiss made 30 saves as the Bonnyville Pontiacs took Game 6 by a 5-2 score to advance to the second round of AJHL playoffs. 

The Yaks, after winning in overtime on home ice in Game 5 thanks to Luka Sukovic, put an end to the series on Sunday evening against their regional rivals in the Lloyd Bobcats. 

Now, Bonnyville matches up against the Whitecourt Wolverines, a rematch of last year’s playoffs. 

The entertainment value in the series was high for the large assembled crowds at each home rink, with visiting fans making the relatively short drive of one and a half hours to attend. 

Giampa proved why he was a finalist for Most Valuable Player with his second period performance. 

“He picked the right game to step up,” said assistant coach Connor Cadaret. 

He deked between his legs blazing down the nearside wall, to cut outside-inside to beat Matthew Syverson, who played a terrific series between the pipes for Lloyd. 

Giampa’s second goal was similar, but with more backside pressure, a more aggressive cut to the inside, and pace on the shot as he finessed it passed the goalline. 

This made it 2-1 almost six minutes into the 2nd period, with a third goal provided by rookie Mike Cataldo, who scored on the breakaway, freed up by Chayce Schmidt with a flip. 

The Lloydminster native scored an empty-netter as well, his first of the series, to put the game out of reach. 

Captain Trey Funk also buried his third goal of the series. The Yaks captain had a terrific series, with 3 goals and 5 assists, as four Yaks are in the top-6 of playoff scoring after Sunday night, along with Giampa, Jack Budd, and Max Seguin. 

“This is a team that’s really come together. It’s taken some time to learn how to win, but it’s rare now that we find ourselves in a stretch where we aren’t confident. The 2nd and 3rd was Pontiac hockey,” said Cadaret. 

This is the first series win for the Yaks since 2018-19 and the first best-of-seven series win since 2014-15, when the Pontiacs beat the Bobcats to advance to the North Division Final. 

Meanwhile, the Whitecourt Wolverines will have had over a week’s worth of rest after sweeping the Grande Prairie Storm. 

Last year, the Wolverines upset the Pontiacs as a 6-seed in six games. 

In the season-series, the Wolverines won four of six contests, but the Yaks split on the road just four weeks ago. 

The Pontiacs are hopeful that Nicolas Beaudoin will be ready to return to the playoffs as well. After taking a hit upstairs in Game 4, the Yaks leading goal scorer was held out for Game 5 and 6. 

The Spruce Grove Saints still await their opponent, as the Crusaders won Game 6 on the road vs the Oil Barons to set up Game 7 on Tuesday night in Sherwood Park. 

Game 1 and 2 are on the road Friday and Saturday night. The Yaks will then be home on Tuesday, March 28 and Wednesday, March 29 for Game 3 and 4.

You can listen to each playoff game at lakelandconnect.thedev.ca/pontiacs.