MENZIES: AJHL Showcase sees range of performance as Bonnyville Pontiacs go 0-2

Image credit: Emma Jonker Photography. Kailus Green puts the Bonnyville Pontiacs ahead 4-3 on Wednesday against the Calgary Canucks with a shorthanded goal. 

What a difference a few hours can make. 

In the 13 hours between the Bonnyville Pontiacs ending their primetime game in a narrow 5-4 defeat against the Calgary Canucks, they took the ice again to play the Olds Grizzlys and were walloped 6-1. 

After playing another thrilling back and forth game that they felt they deserved at least a point, there was no doubt in Thursday afternoon’s affair. 

Flat. Mistakes. Not sharp. The gambit of things that lead to a 6-1 loss. 

Overall, the AJHL Showcase saw the Pontiacs drop to 2-3 on the season, but also end a four game stretch on the road. 

“We have a week of learning and a week of video here. Patience is key right now,” said head coach Ayrton Nikkel.

Primetime vs Canucks

The fans and copious amounts of NCAA and NHL scouts were treated to a fun contest on Wednesday night.

Bowden Singleton, Calgary’s returning captain who finished 4th in league scoring last year, had his offensive exploits on display in the 1st period, giving the Canucks two leads with a pair of goals.

Kailus Green scored on the powerplay in one of the prettiest goals you’ll see. It was a perfectly executed high to low to Maxim Borovinskiy below the goal line, quickly into the slot to Christophe Lussier, who blindly passed behind him to Green for a rocket one-timer top shelf.

Trailing 2-1 heading into the 2nd, some puck luck went the Yaks way. Kyle Kalamaras ducked to get out of the way of a high point shot, and the puck hit him and found a way home to tie it.

Then the Lussier and Max Lajoie combination struck gold again. These two dynamic players converted again on a wonderful rush chance, giving Bonnyville their first lead.

But as coach’s talk about, the start and ends of periods are crucial, and that would rear its head in this game.

Jack Plandowski tied the game with 54 seconds left in the frame on a failed change and clear situation, giving new life to the Canucks.

Green scored his second of the night on a shorthanded rush at 8:41 of the 3rd period to make it 4-3. But after another Pontiacs penalty, the passive kill was scored on for the second time of the game.

Then tied with 1:31 left, Luc Trevors decided not to round the net, but throw the puck in a congested area of the crease. It found its way past Cody Butikis.

The Pontiacs made a mad dash on the 6-on-5 to try tying it, creating chaos in the offensive zone, but it was not to be.

Calgary earned their first regulation win of the season.

“Every shift matters, every detail matters,” said Nikkel. “Whether it’s hustling out of the d-zone to establish a neutral zone forecheck, or making sure line changes are crisp…I thought our guys battled to the end.”

Following that game, Kailus Green took the league lead in scoring.

Grizzlys maul

With the tight turnaround playing Thursday afternoon, the Pontiacs made more mistakes, and could not score their way out of them like they had the previous two games.

The Olds Grizzlys has been the AJHL’s biggest enigmas so far. They’ve lost twice surrendering nine and ten goals, then bounced back after each and won, including a 5-0 shutout over the Devon Xtreme in the showcase’s first game.

Aidan Fischer made 20 saves, only allowing a Kailus Green shorthanded goal early in the 3rd.

But otherwise, the Grizzlys were in control.

They capitalized on d-zone turnovers, they scored twice on the powerplay, they created several odd man rushes.

Connor Knorr made his second AJHL start, and was pulled after surrendering his third of the game, 4:05 into the 2nd period. Butikis eventually allowed three more.

After being a doormat for the last several seasons, the Grizzlys do have some offensive punch.

Will Robinson scored twice and Antonio Bevacqua had a goal and two assists. Olds’ line of Mitch Patrick, Jonathan Doucette, and Quinn Metzger can be one to watch this season.

Olds got back to .500 following the win, improving to 3-3.

“It’s going to be a learning process. It’s going to be really nice to get back on home ice, back in front of our crowd. With a rivalry series going on, and they’re coming into our barn,” said Nikkel looking ahead to next weekend’s battle against the Lloyd Bobcats.

The league is wide open

So five games are in the books, 49 remain.

Looking at the early results, the league this year is set up that every team can beat every other team.

Who’s the team to beat? No one is sure.

As of writing this, the Grande Prairie Storm have not lost in regulation, with a 4-0-1 record. Both Drumheller and Canmore have 4-1 records.

The margins between several teams in the league. Consistency, as always, will be the key.

Kailus Green and Kyle Kalamaras

One stand out for the Pontiacs is Kailus Green.

The 20-year-old played with Powell River and Trail last season, and he’s already two points of his total from last season.

He’s earned 5 goals and 5 assists thus far, and through the BCHL connection with the new coaching staff, has adjusted nicely to being a key cog in the Pontiacs attack.

“Being looked at as a leader and being older, I’m taking it in stride and play my game. I want to help the younger guys and help them find their stride and help them succeed,” said Green before the Calgary game.

With two goals shorthanded, one on the powerplay, and being trusted in all situations, Green is shining through five games.

Another 20-year-old on this year’s squad is Kyle Kalamaras.

A veteran of 107 games with the Notre Dame Hounds of the SJHL, Kalamaras is a plucky player who can play throughout the lineup.

He’s had three goals in the early going.

“It’s definitely a faster league, more skill, better players coming out of it. I think I’ve been fitting in well,” he said before the Olds game.

The Pontiacs have a home and home against the Lloyd Bobcats coming up.

It’s been a tough start for coach Jeff Woywitka’s group, who have lost all seven games they’ve played with a 0-6-1 record.

The offensive has scored just eight goals in those games.

Bonnyville is home next Friday.