Bisons get back on track

Times Editor

 

With the added motivation of playing a pair of divisional rivals, the UFA Bisons snapped a four-game losing streak by playing some of their best hockey of the New Year.

The local triple-A midget team defeated the Calgary Northstars 6-5 on Jan. 19 at the Max Bell Centre, before earning a hard-fought 2-2 draw against the Calgary Buffaloes on Jan. 22 at the Strathmore Family Centre.

“We’ve come a long way in the last two to three weeks,” said Bisons head coach Jeremy Friesen. “That’s probably our most complete game (against the Buffs) since the Mac’s. It’s finally looking like our team is back, so there is definitely a lot more positives to take out of that than negatives.”

The Bisons started the pair of games with a solid win over the Northstars. In a back-and-forth battle, the Bisons pulled through with three goals in the third period to secure the win.

Josh Betinol scored once and added two assists, while Mitch McAllister chipped in with a goal and an assist. Parker Evans-Campbell, Kevin O’Rourke, Conner Bleackley and Owen Ferguson also tallied for the herd, while Tyler Wong recorded two assists.

“It was a strange game – we got up early and let them back into it,” said the coach. “We got a little undisciplined and started making soft plays. It was back and forth.

“What I liked about (that game) is every time we got scored on, we kind of bounced back and got one the next shift. We started doing some good things.”

The Bisons had revenge on their mind when they returned home to face the third-placed Calgary Buffaloes.

Tyler Wong opened the scoring with 3:51 left in the first period, when he converted a feed from Betinol and Bleackley on the power play.

Aaron Macklin extended the lead to 2-0 when he took a pass from Wong with 6:41 left in the second period.

The Bisons looked to ice the game in the third period when they had an extended four-on-three power play. However, instead of scoring the third goal, the hockey gods had other ideas.

The Bisons gave up a shorthanded breakaway, which led to a Buffaloes penalty shot, which they converted with 12:29 left. The crazy turn of events got even crazier when the Bisons covered the puck in the crease with 21 seconds left, which resulted in another successful penalty shot goal.

Despite giving up the pair of penalty shot goals, the Bisons controlled most of the game and avenged a 11-3 loss earlier in the season to the Buffs.

“It’s not like we lost to a team or tied to a team – it’s two individual plays where skilled guys made a play to help their team,” said Friesen. “The biggest lesson is you spot yourself a two-goal lead – got a couple of chances to get a few more goals and you don’t and you leave the game to chance.

“Two plays make the difference in the game.”

The Bisons will look to extend their new-found success this weekend when they host the Calgary Northstars Jan. 27 (8 p.m.) and the K of C Pats on Jan. 29 (2 p.m.) at the Strathmore Family Centre.