Frustrating weekend sees Pontiacs trail Saints 2-0

It was a tale of two different hockey games. However, the results of both went against the Bonnyville Pontiacs, who now find themselves two games down to the Spruce Grove Saints upon returning home in the North Final.

Game 1 was filled with controversy. Game 2 was simply lacklustre.

Isaac Abbott scored the overtime winner at 16:44 of the first overtime period for the Saints to defeat the Pontiacs 3-2 in Game 1, a game Spruce Grove never led.

The Pontiacs had two leads in the game, but frustration over penalty calls grew as the game went longer.

Spruce Grove had a powerplay advantage of 8-3 and their last two goals in the game came on the man advantage.

Max Seguin appeared to bang home the initial marker of the contest before the net was knocked off its moorings, but after the officials conferenced, the refs nullified the goal, which kept the game scoreless.

“It was mixed emotions,” said head coach Mario Pouliot. “When you arrive in the playoffs, you expect the players are going to decide the game. And last night wasn’t the case. First of all, we score a good goal and they refuse it. And the other thing we got eight PKs. For me, at some point it makes no sense. I know we were deserving some. But others were tough calls.

“But we have to learn from that. We can’t control the way the referee is going to referee the game.”

Matteo Giampa scored the game’s first goal and Trey Funk scored a 3rd period powerplay goal to make 2-1.

Liam Watkins replied with a backdoor one-timer after a JR Ashmead tripping penalty, the seventh penalty against.

Bodee Weiss played his best game of the post-season to give the Yaks a chance to win. He made 43 saves, including several ten-bell saves in the overtime.

Bonnyville pressed on an overtime powerplay, called after Ethan Look was buried in the numbers behind the Saints goal. They had Zac Onyskiw down and flailing, but could not find the winner.

However, Onyskiw left the game with an injury and did not dress for Game 2.

Quinton Gove’s holding call was capitalized on by the Saints to win the series opener.

Lack of execution costs Pontiacs

In Game 2, the Pontiacs just never got their feet settled.

Brandon Spaulding scored with just one second left in the 1st period, a backbreaker in a period where the Yaks struggled to breakout the puck and connect on their passes.

That thread continued throughout the game.

Bonnyville was able to tie the game 2-2 in the 2nd period thanks to goals from Jack Budd and Trey Funk, but penalties again became an issue.

Spruce fired home three powerplay goals in the 2nd period alone, four total in the game, and won 6-2.

The Yaks grew more undisciplined in the game as Mike Cataldo shot the puck toward Kaine on an offside that created a massive scrum with 34 seconds left in regulation.

The coaching staff was not pleased with the team’s execution and discipline.

“We couldn’t execute. We couldn’t connect on any passes. We couldn’t follow the plan for some reason. Whether it’s nerves, whether it’s inexperience. That’s close to one of our poorest performances and we were still a couple shots away at times,” said assistant coach Connor Cadaret.

“But we don’t want to finish the game like that, especially in a long series. We have to keep our composure and we can’t be taking dumb penalties.”

The lack of quality puck movement from zone to zone was evidenced by the team mustering just 14 shots on goal throughout the game, versus the 37 fired by the Saints.

Now, the series shifts back to the RJ Lalonde Arena where the Pontiacs look to bounceback.

Game 3 is Tuesday night and Game 4 is Wednesday night.

Bonnyville hopes to push this series back to Spruce Grove on Friday night. Game 6 is scheduled in Bonnyville at 5:00pm as well.

In the other division final, the Brooks Bandits lead the Blackfalds Bulldogs 2-0.

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