MENZIES: Offensive slugfest sees Pontiacs better in 7-4 victory over Wolverines

A wild contest was all gas offensively, but shows the Pontiacs have skill throughout the lineup. Image: Bonnyville’s Ben Skarsen played his first game of the year. 

Well, that escalated quickly. 

Kyle Kalamaras scored two goals, Christophe Lussier cashed in for three points, and the Bonnyville Pontiacs shook up the Whitecourt Wolverines in a 7-4 road victory. 

The game featured each starter being pulled in the 2nd period, as the back and forth scoring ended the night early for two players making their Junior A debut in the Pontiacs’ Connor Knorr and Wolverines’ Kael Svenson. 

Jalen Bianchet scored just 45 seconds in, and Kaiden Wiltsie converted a faceoff play to send Whitecourt ahead 2-0 just five minutes into the game. 

The slow start was counteracted by strong offensive play. 

“I didn’t think we deserved to start 2-0 because I didn’t think our start was that poor, but I got to give the guys credit for staying even keel,” said head coach Ayrton Nikkel in the post-game. 

Goals galore

Maxim Borovinskiy and Kyle Kalamaras each netted their first of the season to tie the game before the first intermission. 

Then, things got wild. 

Cade Meiklejohn put the Yaks ahead, then 60 seconds later Dylan Ruptash tied the game. 

Fifty seconds later Jordan Schanbacher finished an odd-man rush to restore the lead and chase Svenson. Then on the powerplay, Lussier’s perfectly placed top corner snapshot from the high slot gave the Pontiacs a multi-goal lead. 

The Wolverines responded again 47 seconds later with Ewan McPherson in his first appearance for Whitecourt, cutting the game to 5-4, and putting Cody Butikis into the game for Bonnyville. 

Slade Firkus then put his stamp on the game, as Bonnyville again earned an outnumbered rush, and buried his second of the season. 

With a two goal lead, the 3rd period was perfectly dry and boring from the fan’s perspective after all the offence. 

The Yaks outshot the Wolverines 9-8, added another goal from Kalamaras, and skated out of the hardest barns in the AJHL with two points. 

“The leadership group did a really good job of making sure the bench was ready to go. And our special teams was another factor as well,” said Nikkel. 

That powerplay goal from Lussier was a big separating factor in the game, as the Yaks have scored four time on the man advantage in the early going. Conversely, the penalty kill was strong, and the Pontiacs were much more disciplined, only being shorthanded three times in the contest.

Depth contributions up and down the lineup paved the way to success.

Local returns

Bonnyville’s own Ben Skarsen was on the ice for the first time this regular season.

He’s had to battle through much adversity, with a major shoulder injury two years ago that wiped out most of his season, and playing last year with the Fernie Ghostriders of the KIJHL.

This year, the 19-year-old is excited and ready to be in the mix.

“It’s been a good learning experience. I’ve been through a lot of stuff with my shoulder and didn’t play the whole season. Last year I was in BC and learned a lot there. We had a great team and made it to the final. It was good learning, and I’m happy to be here now,” said Skarsen before the game.

Millions have hockey fans have seen Skarsen on the ice, after his fight at the Milton Romanchuk Cup with Connor Goofers, his relative, went viral on Facebook. It racked up 3.5 million views, and sparked a lot of conversation about fighting in the game. Many loved to see the old-time hockey tilt.

“That’s unexpected, it’s just crazy. We kind of talked before joking. My team was losing 7-1 and I thought we needed to get the bench going, so whatever I’ll go. It’s a good fight. It was my first fight actually.”

This represents Skarsen’s second ever game with the Pontiacs. In 2021-22, he played a game as an affiliate and scored against the Fort McMurray Oil Barons.

The look ahead

Boasting a 2-1 record, the Pontiacs return to action at the AJHL Showcase on Wednesday and Thursday down in Calgary.

The annual event sees a large congregation of NCAA scouts, as well as league officials, gather in one place to highlight the teams and talent, and hopefully foster relationships to move players to the next level.

They take on the defending league champions Canucks in a primetime affair at 7:15PM on Wednesday night, before playing the Olds Grizzlys at 1:45PM on Thursday afternoon.

While many have predicted the Canucks to be a team to beat, they lost their first three games of the season. Last year, the Pontiacs went 3-0-1 against the Canucks, winning by a margin of 22-6.

That will wrap up a stretch of four consecutive road games, before the Pontiacs return home on Friday, Oct. 4 against the Lloyd Bobcats.

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Listen to ENT Oilfield Bonnyville Pontiacs hockey on Lakeland Connect with Michael Menzies for every game, all season on lakelandconnect.net/pontiacs.