Bisons show strong play back at home

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

Doug Taylor Photo

 

The CFR Bisons faced off against their northern counterparts, the SSAC Athletics, for the second time in as many weekends, working their tails off in hopes of getting redemption on their last game; but thanks to strong goaltending by SSAC’s Philip Couture who saved 32 of 33 shots, the Bisons lost 2-1 on Nov. 22.
First-year forward Liam Izyk was the only Bison player to score on Couture; he said the boys came in with a different focus after losing to them the week before.
“We came out here and had a good focus of what we wanted to bring to them to prove,” said Izyk. “I think we have to bear down on our chances more and make sure we’re in strong positions and when we get those chances we can just put them in the net. We had enough to come out on top today, but we just missed the net too many times and didn’t capitalize.”
Izyk and his line-mates tried to build up momentum copying what the first line was doing on the shift prior, which paid off.
“Our first line had a strong shift and they were banging away and we just came out there and finished the job,” he said.
Head coach Sandy Henry thought the most dominant part about the team’s game was the offensive zone time, but he credits SSAC’s goalie for a strong effort, and their team’s strong defensive play.
“I think their defensive zone scheme is to really collapse in the middle and we had a little trouble penetrating for that great opportunity,” said Henry. “We maybe were guilty of not getting enough pucks to the net and try to drive in there. I think this team last weekend handled us a little bit. This weekend I thought we handled them without the results.”
Henry thought the chances were limited because their opponents were plugging the middle up well and were forced to come off the rush more and shooting at more of an angle.
“(Their goalie) was seeing pretty good,” he said. “We did get a few big-time chances and we hit him with them or missed the net.”
Having won 8-2 the previous night at home against St. Albert, Henry thought the level of opportunity was way bigger compared to the ones SSAC were giving them.
“We had the same amount of control yesterday but we got some free looks at the goalie and today you don’t get a free look,” said Henry. “There’s always someone there, there’s a little tug, you’re trying to shoot through guys. It was just a different level of game we had to play today.”
Gary Haden led the way with four goals while Jackson Salt had two. Cooper Krauss and Zach Cox rounded out the offence in the win versus the Raiders.
The Bisons will continue the home stand this weekend, beginning Friday night when they host the Calgary Buffaloes at 8 p.m. before playing the Calgary Flames on Nov. 29 at 2 p.m.