Bonnyville Pontiacs flame the Drumheller Dragons in 7-3 drubbing

The Pontiacs 29th win of the season was the needed, work-based response the team was hoping for. Brent Hoshowski scores and the Yaks bench celebrates for a 3-1 lead in the 2nd period. 

Max Seguin had three points and the Pontiacs had six different goals scorers in a massive 7-3 win over the Drumheller Dragons on Saturday night.

The Pontiacs completed their road schedule in style with their first win over the Dragons this season.

Jack McAra had two goals, while JR Ashmead, Brent Hoshowski, Nicolas Beaudoin, James Schneid, and Seguin all lit the lamp, wrecking Dragons netminder Jameson Kaine’s save percentage, who allowed seven goals on 25 shots.

“Right from the drop of the puck I thought we did what we had to do,” said assistant coach Ryan Blocha in the B&R Eckels Pontiacs Postgame.

“A bunch a guys contributed, but I liked the way we were forcing the puck to get it to them. Some of the guys who didn’t get points, they were creating turnovers and leaning on guys. I thought that was great to see, and we had a high F3 to get some shots.”

Incendiary salute

Max Seguin’s 1-0 goal finished an excellent passing sequence from Michael Ryan and Nico Beaudoin on the powerplay, and the Pontiacs never were tied or trailed again.

In the 2nd period, Ashmead’s blast from the point was his 12th goal of the season. After the Dragons sliced it two one, Hoshowski’s well placed bomb top corner, and Beaudoin’s sneaky wrister for his 20th of the year gave the Yaks a 4-1 lead after 40.

Connor Poffenroth took a 5-minute major for cross-checking as his stick caught Pier-Olivier Allard in the face. The extended man advantage from the 2nd to 3rd period, saw Jack McAra rip a snipe.

The Dragons hung around, but James Schneid punctuated the evening with a breakaway goal for his 14th of the season and celebration that elicited a two finger salute from one faithful Drumheller fan.

Allard’s camaraderie has been infectious. As the Yaks have grown into a more physical identity, Allard stepped up and fought Austin Reschny, scoring the TKO on his 20th birthday.

Kyle Hagen had a handful of high danger chances to deal with, but was comfortable throughout a in 30-save performance. His best stop came when Jacob Goudreau picked off a pass and was all alone. Goudreau stretched to try and outwait Hagen, but the young netminder hung with him the whole way for a terrific save.

All three remaining games for the Pontiacs are at home: Wednesday vs Camrose, Friday, Mar. 1 vs Whitecourt, Saturday, Mar. 2 vs Drayton Valley.

Bonnyville finishes the regular season with an above .500 road record, which no other team in the AJHL has at the moment.

Its all the more impressive considering the strength of schedule the Pontiacs played this season compared to the rest, having played the most games vs the departing five in Brooks, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Blackfalds, and Okotoks, who they earned six wins against, four of those on the road.

Standings picture

The victory put the Pontiacs above the Dragons in the standings, with a path to finish 2nd in the standings, but the Calgary Canucks are right there in the mix still.

Calgary has Olds twice, and Canmore, but fumbled their chance to be level by losing to the Drayton Valley Thunder on Monday afternoon, keeping them two points behind.

Whitecourt stands alone in 1st with games in hand and a four point cushion on Bonnyville. It’s theirs to lose at this point.

Meanwhile, Drumheller lost all three games last week and have a trip to Grande Prairie for two to finish their season, and could fall into the 4th or 5th slot depending on results.

The Lloyd Bobcats have a game in hand on Bonnyville but are three points behind, with Drayton Valley twice, Camrose, and Whitecourt to finish the regular season.

Bonnyville will hope to wrap up the season-series against the Camrose Kodiaks in style on Wednesday night, their first home game since Feb. 3.

You can listen to B&R Eckels Bonnyville Pontiacs hockey with Michael Menzies all season and playoffs on lakelandconnect.net/pontiacs.