MENZIES: A sickening and exciting 1st round sees the Pontiacs out

In many respects, the Bonnyville Pontiacs four game sweep to the hands of the Drumheller Dragons was the most exciting series I’ve called doing play-by-play for the organization in the past five years. 

Exciting, in the same way a Greek tragedy is exciting. Cruel and unusual punishment is another way to describe it if you’re a fan. 

It’s hard to believe the series went like this, especially with how the games were played. 

Twice the Pontiacs had the lead with a minute left, twice they lost in overtime. 

Game 4 especially, with Bonnyville ahead by three goals early, on a powerplay with a minute left…but unable to close the game and let the clock hit 0:00 with the lead. 

The game-winner in Game 3 sees Holden Cardinal under Bodee Weiss as the goal is scored.

They scored the first goal in three of the four games, led just as often if not more than Drumheller in combined minutes, but alas, it’s hard to fathom that the series isn’t at least tied.

But the signs were there that this group just didn’t have what it required to cross the finish line. 

At times the season felt like a Faustian deal with the devil. In order to achieve great success and make the North Final last year, they would have everything that could go wrong, go wrong, this year. 

Whether it was a poor start out of the gate, Mario Pouliot leaving mid-season on deadline day, the five AJHL teams that were forced to leave causing controversy and noise, a new head coach before the playoffs started, timely injuries or departures to the BCHL, and on and on – the season of calamity is over. 

Even just Myles Gauld and Jack McAra in the lineup changes the complexion of the series and Devan Praught’s lineup decision immensely.

But if you can’t manage pucks effectively and if you can’t execute on the small details of your game — you’re going to lose in the playoffs.

The Drumheller Dragons were not a good matchup for this team. Teams that played simple, forechecked hard, and relished battles were a problem all season long.

If anything, the Pontiacs did better against the skilled teams, where dynamic puck play could overcome grit. They struggled to win tight games like this, and it showed.

The future

So, where to from here?

That is a loaded question in the junior hockey landscape.

Whether the AJHL is an 11 team league, a 12 team league, or a much lessened league, along the lines of more teams going independent or jumping ship, remains to be seen.

This is the most fractious moment in junior hockey in decades filled with uncertainty and many options.

Are they good options? I’m not sure. Is it best to stay? I’m not sure.

Is the harm created by the teams that essentially forced to leave to the BCHL great enough to hurt future recruitment?

Ultimately this is what it boils down to.

The players will decide if the AJHL is a good league or not by whether they go to these teams. But the risk of having one of these players jump ship whenever they want to the BCHL or NAHL is vulnerability unlike we’ve seen lately.

Many unsolved questions, many discussions will unfold.

This will be an important summer for the future of Junior A hockey in Canada, but my guess is the AJHL will not look how it does now in September.