Bisons stay sharp while shorthanded

Tyler Lowey
Times Reporter

 

Missing the Alberta Midget Hockey League leading scorer for the weekend’s action along with two other regulars, the CFR Chemicals Bisons still managed to rack up a pair of 3-2 victories, running their perfect start to the season to 8-0.
“It absolutely gives us comfort knowing that we can win these tight games and not implode on ourselves,” said Bisons assistant coach Mike Langen.
Fear of implosion might be a tad extreme, but Langen will sleep easier at night knowing his team can play in a one-goal game. This was the first weekend where the Bisons didn’t win a game by at least a four-goal margin.
The Bisons trimmed the Leduc Chrysler Oil Kings 3-2 Oct. 21 and froze the SSAC Boston Pizza Athletics 3-2 Oct. 22. It was their first home action since the season-opening weekend Oct. 1 and 2.
Blackie native Blake Wells buried the winner on the power play over the Athletics (4-4), who resembled the 1980’s New Jersey Devils.
A point shot from Landon Melzer was knocked down in front and bounced off the boards. Sitting at the side of the net, all Wells had to do was chip it over Athletics netminder Lucas Leisen.
“It was nice to get an easy goal for a change,” said Wells, who has three goals and seven points now. “It’s nice to know the power play can get going when the five-on-five game is struggling.”
“We had a couple of defensive breakdowns early and that put us in a hole. We weren’t really ready to go, but we were able to figure things out with our power play,” said Langen.
Athletics forward Shawn Kempster took exception to Terretta’s goal and picked up an unsportsmanlike penalty during the celebration, sending the Bisons right back to the man advantage.
Zach Huber knotted the game at two on a blue line blast from Liam Belcourt and Melzer.
From there, the Bisons didn’t look back. They dominated puck possession in the second quarter, outshooting the A’s 12-3.
“We knew that we didn’t start well, but we dug in at the 10-minute mark in the first and didn’t look back,” said Bisons captain Brett Trentham. “It’s good to see that we can battle through when we are tested like that.”
The Bisons were without Payton Krebs, Tyson Scott and Kaden Hanas.
Krebs was playing with Team Alberta in the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup. Scott was called up to the Drumheller Dragons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League for their game against the Whitecourt Wolverines. They lost 4-0 at the Scott Safety Centre.
Hanas was serving the remaining games on his suspension for a questionable slew-foot hit last weekend.
Henry and his staff called up five forwards: Nathan Bailer (Okotoks AA Black), Jackson Kobelka (Okotoks AA Black), Evan Woods (Okotoks AA Green), Ryan Ries (Airdrie AA Lightning) and Kale Clouston (Wheatland AA Warriors).
“These guys were put in a bit of a hard spot coming in and they didn’t really know our style, but they did a great job fitting in and resembled seamless success for us,” said Henry.
The Bisons surpassed the Oil Kings (3-5) with a strong second half, with goals from Tarun Fizer, Machado and Belcourt. Boaz Bassen added his first assist on the season, while other assists came from Petrie (2), Machado, Fizer and Wells.
As a result of the Sherwood Park J. Ennis Kings 3-3 tie versus the Lloydminster Bandit Energy Bobcats, the Bisons are the only undefeated team in the league.
The Bisons will embark on another back-to-back weekend on the road starting Oct. 28 at Red Deer Arena against the Optimist Chiefs (5-1-2). They head to Father David Bauer Arena to take on the Calgary Flames (5-2-1) on Oct. 29.