Bisons falter at home

Times Reporter 

 

After dropping two straight home games this past weekend, the UFA Bisons are now 6-4 on the season; the SEAC Tigers won 5-2 on Oct. 25, and the Ernie’s Sports Grand Prairie Storm roughed their way to a 6-3 victory on Oct. 27.

The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first, but the Bisons tied it up in the second. However, later that period, the Tigers took the lead once more and never looked back. 

The Bisons played the Storm away last weekend, and played a very physical game in their arena; they knew what to expect this time around.

“We knew that it was going to be rough and tougher, they play a different style than we’re used to,” Bisons  head coach Dan MacDonald said. “They could catch us there, here they have a harder time catching us in the bigger rink.”

MacDonald said his team could have won both games this weekend, but their unusual play could be due to injuries and illnesses.

“It’s just a bad time right now,” he said. “We’re just running into where you’re just not the same team anymore … all of a sudden. We admire what they’re doing, that’s for sure, but you lose your rhythm. It’s a matter of getting a couple guys back, and then back on track again.”

Philip Anderson and Brayden Biccum are both out with concussions; Anderson has been out for a few weeks, while Biccum suffered a hit from behind in last week’s play. 

“We hopefully will get one of those guys back, in a week or so we can get our defense pairings sorted out a bit,” MacDonald said. “Shane Fraser’s been playing defense for the last two or three weeks, it’s been helpful, but his real position is a forward. Still, he’s doing well back there.”

MacDonald mentioned that if his defensemen ever take a penalty, they’re even more short-handed in the back-end.

“Guys are getting more ice time than they’re ready for,” MacDonald said. “When we’re down to four defensemen, they don’t get much of a break. They get caught tired. Sometimes the other team will push you hard in your end, and you didn’t have enough rest from the shift before.”

The Bisons had their next game on Oct. 30, away at the Calgary Northstars (result was not available as of press time). They hoped to have at least one defenseman back.

“We’re not scoring perhaps like we were, we’ve just got to bear down. Maybe we’re trying to hard – it’s just a matter of getting more relaxed and loose,” MacDonald said.

For a few Bisons, scoring continues not to be an issue; Matthew Forchuk scored in both games against the Tigers and Storm, while Tristan Thompson rallied some more points and is now tied with Mackenzie Bauer for the team lead of 14. Thompson is the only defenseman in the league’s Top 20 scorers.