Pontiacs take home split to be one step away from North Final

The Bonnyville Pontiacs have the opportunity to close out their North Division semifinal series on Friday night against the Whitecourt Wolverines, after splitting home contests on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

The Wolverines used three 3rd period goals in Game 3 to comeback and win 4-2 to claw within a game in the series. 

But in Game 4 on Wednesday, the Yaks dominated scoring chances, received four point games from Nicolas Beaudoin and Matteo Giampa, and two powerplay goals from Trey Funk in the 3rd period for a resounding 6-3 victory. 

“We’re really happy with our performance,” said assistant coach Connor Cadaret after the game. 

“We definitely cleaned up the things we needed to from the last game. I thought offensively that we were a lot better at managing the puck, understanding when to put it on the net, when to beat our guys to the net, and off the rush we were a lot better too.” 

The Pontiacs piled on the scoring chances, but in a reversal from Game 3, they buried those opportunities. 

Beaudoin now has goals in three straight games, reinvigorated after a slow start in the first round, and an injury that held him out of the last two games. 

While Giampa hasn’t lit the lamp in this division semifinal, he has compiled seven assists, and now leads all skaters in playoff points with 5 goals and 10 assists. 

Jack Budd sits tied for 2nd with 13 points and Trey Funk is fifth with 12 points. 

No rookie has scored more than Ludo Tardif, whose three goals in the series is only matched my Beaudoin. 

Bonnyville found themselves up 2-1 through 20 minutes with contributions from Josh Simpson and Max Seguin, as Aiden Long cashed in on a Yaks turnover to strike within one. 

Then Michael Lovsin tied it early in the 2nd period with a rush down the wing and a shut that eluded Bodee Weiss. 

Just 18 seconds later, Mike Cataldo beat Ben Charette five-hole to regain a Pontiacs lead, but the topsy-turvy nature of the game persisted, with yet another equalizer, a one-timer from Colby Browne in the slot. 

Beaudoin’s goal proved to be the game-winner, but the second period drama was enhanced with a controversial disallowed goal. 

The Yaks seemed poised to go ahead two, but on the rebound, the referee ruled it was goaltender interference and a penalty, so Chayce Schmidt went to the box. 

That was the first of three successful penalty kills for Bonnyville, now crested over 90 per cent for the post-season. 

The powerplay then came through on the extended chances granted in the 3rd period. 

Matthew Sutter got called four minutes for headbutting, while Jarred Feist received two minutes for boarding and then a match penalty for spitting on Quinton Gove. 

Feist was handed a five game suspension for his actions after the game. 

Travelling a day early once again for the four-hour distance, the Yaks left Thursday morning to Whitecourt. 

Game 5 begins at 7:00pm at the Scott Safety Centre in Whitecourt. 

You can listen to the game on lakelandconnect.thedev.ca/pontiacs.