Bisons take a couple, leave a couple

Mario Prusina 

Times Editor 

 

It was an up and down kind of weekend for the UFA Bisons.

After defeating the CAC Canadians 5-3 on Dec. 8 to open their four-game home stand, the Herd was defeated 5-2 the following day at the Strathmore Family Centre.

The local triple-A midget team opened the weekend with a back-and-forth game with the Canadians.

“That would be our (bend-but-don’t-break) kind of game,” said Bisons head coach Jeremy Friesen after the win. “It was kind of a funny game, it’s hard to get a pulse on it in terms of what’s going well. I thought the work ethic was there, (but) the execution of puck management, trying to force pucks up the middle, being a little soft on the walls and getting on the wrong side of the puck on the offensive zone – just little things like that that we got away with.

“Having said that, I like the fact that we didn’t panic. There was no panic point with the guys – (there) were a couple of times we got rid of the puck when we had time and space, but we stuck with it the best we could.”

The locals took the lead late in the first period and never trailed at any point in the game.

After a pair of ties the weekend before, the Bisons were excited to earn the two points. 

“We’re one of the top scoring teams in the league, so we have the firepower to (break open games),” said forward Markson Bechtold. “We got a couple of power play goals tonight, which was nice way to respond after not getting one last weekend.”

On Sunday, the Bisons faced one of the top teams in the North Division, the SSAC Athletics. 

After taking a 1-0 lead in the first period, the Bisons had the momentum in the game and could have used a power play goal to break open the game. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen and the Athletics scored a couple of goals in the second en route to the win. SSAC scored a pair of power play goals in the third period to ice the game.

“We got the start we wanted to, I thought we controlled the majority of play throughout the first and second period,” said Friesen. “Our power play didn’t really come through for us and get us that two-goal lead. We had a couple of breakdowns, which led to a couple of quick goals for them and in the third period, the wheels kind of fell off. We got a little bit undisciplined and away from our structure.

“It was one of those games that you learn from and don’t want to allow to be acceptable in your own building.”

The Bisons will look to get back to their winning ways this weekend when they host another pair of North Division teams.

The K of C Pats make their way to the Strathmore Family Centre on Dec. 15 (5:30 p.m.), before the Bisons host the Grande Prairie Storm the following day (2 p.m.).