Bisons suffer Mac’s hangover

Times Reporter   

 

For the first time sincelate October the UFA Bisons have lost two league games in a row. They fell to the Leduc Oil Kings 4-2 on Jan. 4, and to the Lloydminster Baker Hughes Bobcats the next day, 3-1.

“All of a sudden – if it was because of the Mac’s, I don’t know – we had about five or six guys get really sick. We just weren’t up to our best,” Dan MacDonald said, Bisons head coach.

The Oil Kings and the Bisons were tied 2-2 at the end of their second period, but Leduc popped in two early in the third to take the win. Bisons goalie Carter Seminuk stopped 16 shots, while his teammates fired 34 on net; William Conley and Clay Murray had two points each. Against Lloydminster, Zach Giroux had the Bisons lone goal, while Garrett Mason backstopped 36 shots.

“The other teams were good. The two teams we played are tops in the North Division,” MacDonald said. “We weren’t successful. We weren’t ready to play again.”

The Bisons had also lost to both teams earlier in the season (6-1 against Leduc on Nov. 2, 4-1 against Lloydminster on Nov. 9). The squad is now three points behind the Calgary Royals for top spot in the Chrysler Division.

“We’re kind of snake bit right now. We have to get over that and then get back in gear here,” MacDonald said.

With eight games remaining before the playoffs begin, the Bisons coaches are stressing details to their players.

“We’ve put a lot of freedom to our play up to this point in time,” MacDonald said. “Now we have to shore everything up and play as a real team. They’re going to have to pay attention to the details of the systems we have.”

If the Bisons stay in their position, they would have the first week off in the playoffs, as the top two teams in each division receive a bye.