Bisons make incredible run to the final

Times Editor

 

As the 34th Annual Mac’s Midget Hockey Tournament progressed, the UFA Bisons were in the midst of playing some of their best hockey of the season.

They used that momentum of confidence to claim Pool 1 with an impressive 3-0-1 record – becoming one of eight teams to earn a berth in the playoff round – and won both sudden death games on New Year’s Eve.

All that winning presented the Bisons with a chance to play for the Mac’s Midget Championship against a very tough Severstal/Locomotiv team from Russia on New Year’s Day.

And on that specific night, the Russian squad was the best team on the ice, winning 5-0 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary.

“Their transition game is something special – if we could figure out a way to teach that, I think we’d be heads and shoulders above everyone else in our league,” said Bisons head coach Jeremy Friesen after humbling defeat. “As you know, our forecheck is kind of our game and we didn’t have a chance to get that established today. We were always chasing the puck.

“They do some things that we’ve never seen before … and when we did make the odd adjustment here and there, they seemed to have an answer for it.

“They’re a great team – they skate well, they move the puck even better and they scored some big timely goals.”

Both teams entered the final playing the same amount of games at the tournament, but the Bisons looked a little slower in the championship game than their Russian counterpart.

However, when it was all said and done, the Bisons played 12 games in a span of 17 days, including the tournament, regular season and exhibition games.

Bisons captain Mitch McAllister wasn’t going to use that fact as an excuse.

“I don’t think it caught up to us – maybe it did, maybe it didn’t – in a sense it does take its toll. But at soon as the adrenaline hits you, it can boost you pretty good,” said McAllister. “Give them credit – we’ve never seen a team like that before and probably never will again. They came to play; they’re quick, they’re fast and they transition (really well).”

It was apparent from the first game the Bisons would be successful at the Mac’s if they played their team game. The team continually rolled four lines, played well defensively, and their goaltender Wilson Sproule was phenomenal.

The 17-year-old netminder was presented the Top Goaltender, was named to the First All Star Team and picked up the tournament’s Most Valuable Player Award.

“I’m pretty proud of that, but it’s just one of those things you hang on the wall and get on with the next thing,” said Sproule, deflecting the spotlight. “The credit goes to the defence, they helped me out a lot clearing pucks and played solid (throughout the tournament).

“There were no passengers on our team. Everyone put in their shift and nobody tried to do it all on their own. Everyone was working together.”

With the tournament now over and done with, the Bisons are focusing on getting back to regular season action in the AMHL.

The team is currently sitting in fifth place in South Division with a 12-5-6 record, but is just five points out of first in a highly competitive group.

Friesen believes the success at the Mac’s could spark his squad in the New Year, beginning with a two game road trip Jan. 7 & 8 in Edmonton.

“You want to remember the feeling (of losing) and move on,” said the coach. “It’s a lesson to learn. We’ll bounce back for sure – no question. We’ve proved to ourselves that we can beat the top teams in B.C., Saskatchewan and Alberta. I like where we’re at as a hockey team. We’ve matured a lot in the last 10 days or so … it will make us stronger in the long run.

“It was very fun to be a part of and I’m very proud of our guys.”