Bisons outcompete opponents in road wins

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

The CFR Bisons demonstrated what it’s like being a dominant force when you start outskating the other team and the results showed in picking up two road wins in the league’s Annual Showcase in Sherwood Park Nov. 6-8.
“I think we even took another step ahead from where we were last weekend which is a positive note for us,” said head coach Sandy Henry. “I thought our team (Saturday night against Sherwood Park) was outstanding. We were pretty good in all categories, maybe a little work on special teams. Other than that, I thought we were damn good and really held the tempo of the game up high.”
Henry found the opposition was not capable of playing at the pace that the Bisons set, which was more encouraging for the coaching staff to see.
“We played with a lot of energy,” said Henry of the 6-3 win. “We were real determined, we won a lot of puck battles, we got pucks to the net.”
On Sunday afternoon, despite not getting into the hotel until just after midnight the previous evening, the Herd was able to come in and dominate all facets of the game in a 4-1 win over the K of C Pats.
“I think it had a little bit of a toll,” said Henry. “That being said, we still held the tempo of the game up to probably a page where it was a little uncomfortable for the other team to play at and were able to sustain pressure for long periods of time and get our goals when we needed them.”
He added that what was key to playing at a high tempo began on the back end with them moving the puck up the ice, quick out of the zone with good support on breakouts, working on attacking with speed through the neutral zone and the defense moving with their feet turned.
In the 6-3 win over Sherwood Park, Cameron Shorrock and Gary Haden scored two apiece while Liam Izyk and Kyle Gordon added one each.
Haden, Gordon, Cole Clayton and Tyson Scott provided the offense in the 4-1 win over the KC Pats.
The Bisons will continue the road trip this weekend on Nov. 14 in Fort Saskatchewan at 7:45 p.m. and on Nov. 15 against SSAC Athletics at 11:45 a.m.