Bisons suffer disappointing weekend
Mario Prusina
Times Editor
For the first time this season, the UFA Bisons lost two games in the same weekend.
The local triple-A midget team lost a 4-1 road game in Medicine Hat Dec. 18, before suffering a 5-3 loss the following day to the Lloydminister Bobcats at the Strathmore Family Centre.
“We got guys on their own programs,” said head coach Parry Shockey. “We’ve got people that think that they can go out there at three quarter speed and be successful. “You can’t be successful like that – we’ve got guys who are cheating and they always have an excuse (for it). When you have that, you have a problem.
“We worked on accountability, ownership, winning one-on-one battles and we didn’t do that. We didn’t do any of those things.”
The Bisons felt like they were stung, considering they beat both teams in previous encounters. The Herd hammered Medicine Hat 9-0 and beat the Bobcats 11-8 earlier this season.
“We’ve given our players direction (and) they seem to think they’ve got a better idea,” said a disappointed Shockey. “We’ve allowed our guys to be creative in a lot of areas, (but) there are certain areas that are non-negotiable. They’re now going into those non-negotiable areas with the way they’re playing and it cost us.”
The Bisons allowed two goals early in the game before Samuel McKechnie scored a powerplay goal to cut the deficit in half going into the first intermission. The Bobcats scored another two goals before McKechnie responded with a powerplay goal late in the second period.
The Bisons applied the pressure in the third period, but only had Kirby Ruzesky’s breakaway goal to show for it.
“We spotted them two goals and then we never really turned the heat up,” said Shockey. “When we turn the heat up, then you can see the heat – but how do you do that? There has to be some self-motivation, some self-pride in your performance level.”
The Bisons started the weekend off on the right foot, as Ruzesky scored the opening goals versus the Tigers. However, Medicine Hat stormed back with four unanswered goals to secure the win.
“(Saturday) was one of those games where we played well in a lot of areas … but the guys didn’t bury them,” said the coach.
The 13-7-4 Bisons are back to the Alberta Midget Hockey League schedule Jan. 8, when they travel to Calgary to take on the Buffaloes.