The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs have picked up points in five straight games (4-0-1) after going through one of their toughest stretches of the season two weeks back, where they lost four games in a row.
After weathering the Grande Prairie Storm, with two wins two weekends ago, the Pontiacs picked up a 5-2 win in Fort McMurray last Wednesday. The Pontiacs and Oil Barons then travelled back to Bonnyville for a Friday night affair, where the Oil Barons defeated the Pontiacs 4-3 in overtime. The Pontiacs responded to the tough loss with a strong performance Saturday, shutting out Lloydminster 2-0.
Head coach Chad Mercier feels his team is playing very well at a crucial time of year. “The last five games, our effort has been tremendous, probably as good as it's been over a five-game span all year.”
Devon Kalinski, Logan Sceviour and Ryan Kearns led the way in Bonnyville's win over the Oil Barons Wednesday, with Kalinski picking up the hat trick and Sceviour and Kearns each adding a goal and an assist.
Kalinski picked up a goal and an assist in Friday's game, while Matt Montesano and Kevin Carthy also scored for the Pontiacs.
Kalinski has arguably been the best Pontiac on the ice for a while now and leads the team with 32 goals and 60 points. He is ranked eighth in the league for points.
Since ending his 11-game point streak last Friday, he has picked up five goals and two assists in three games, before going pointless in Saturday's game against Lloyd.
Kalinski talked about his strong play of late. “I'm not wearing my lucky underwear or anything. I'm just getting to spots and the puck's finding me. My linemates are working really hard, taking it to the net and it's paying off.”
The three goal output Friday was only enough to send it to overtime, where a close play at the blue line, that could have been called offside, was not called and Fort McMurray scored the game winner.
Saturday's win against Lloydminster was a chance for the unsung heroes on the Pontiacs to receive some much-deserved recognition.
Two of the hardest working Pontiacs, Kevin Carthy and Jake Towriss, both scored, while another stellar night in goal from Julien Laplante stymied the Bobcats' offence.
Laplante picked up his seventh shutout in the 2-0 win, tying him for the league lead in shutouts.
“The defence is playing great, blocking lots of shots,” said Laplante following Saturday's win. As for some of those unsung heroes on the team, Laplante had high praise. “We need those guys … It's important to work hard and those guys get the dirty work done.”
Mercier also commended his third and fourth line players. “The Austen Heberts, the Dillon Curries, those guys have really come out to play. Jake Towriss was tremendous for us. I thought our grinders really grinded it out tonight and did a great job.”
Towriss said following Saturday's win that with a few guys out of the lineup it gives other guys a chance to really step up. “I thought everyone did a great job tonight (stepping up).”
He explained it is this time of year where you need to be able to roll all four lines. “Come playoff time it's every line that needs to contribute, not just the top lines. It's every hit, getting every puck deep that matters, and we're doing a good job of that.”
With points in their last five games, the Pontiacs now sit six points back of second place Fort McMurray, with one game in hand, and have increased their lead over third place Grande Prairie to five points, while still maintaining two games in hand over the Storm. The Pontiacs have six games left in the regular season.
The Pontiacs are still without three of their top players. Dante Borrelli is now skating and hopes to be back in the lineup soon. Tyler Henry and Marc-Antoine Juneau are both out with lower body injuries.
The Pontiacs will now head on the road for a game in Spruce Grove Wednesday.
Check out the Nouvelle's website www.bonnyvillenouvelle.ca Thursday morning for game results.
