Bisons streak ends at 19

Tyler Lowey
Times Reporter

 

The -15 C that froze Strathmore solid Monday morning was not hell freezing over because the CFR Chemicals Bisons (17-1-2) picked up their first loss of the Alberta Midget Hockey League season.
“It was a long run and fun while it lasted. We knew that it was coming eventually,” said Bisons assistant coach Paden Grant. “This league is too good and the coaches are too smart for a team to go unbeaten.”
The Bisons saw their undefeated season come to a halt when they were trimmed 3-1 by the St. Albert Tire Warehouse Raiders (15-2-3) Dec. 4 at Akinsdale Arena.
“It was a good serving of humble pie,” said Grant.
The Raiders carried a 2-0 lead deep into the third period before Victoria Cougars prospect Tarun Fizer pushed across his 10th of the year from Brandon Machado and Jackson Salt.
“They tried to get us off our game by shooting pucks at us in warm up and small fights after each whistle,” said Bisons captain Brett Trentham. “By the time we beared down and started playing hockey, it was too late.”
The Bisons looked to tie it when Raiders d-man Aidan West got called for tripping with 6:59 remaining.
“Their goalie stood on his head. The pucks that were going in for us Saturday, weren’t bouncing right for us Sunday,” added Grant.
Chris Curr made 35 saves for his seventh win, while in the Bisons net, Hunter Young stopped 30 shots.
The Raiders (8-11-1) added an empty netter with one second remaining.
“It was a lesson for us and we need to have a short memory as we move on together as a team,” said Trentham. “I’d rather lose in December than in March.”
Earlier in the weekend, it was a heavyweight bout between the top seeds from each division. The Bisons edged the Sherwood Park J. Ennis Kings 5-3 in their first tilt of the season.
The Bisons blitzed the Kings with three goals in the opening frame. Captain Brett Trentham opened the scoring from Machado, while Tyler Petrie and Fizer on the power play found the back of the net.
“The boys came ready to play. We played heavy and used our speed as we got a couple bounces go our way,” said Grant. “These guys are smart, they know the standings and they knew who we were playing.”
Machado netted the winner from Tyler Strath and Fizer with 12 minutes remaining in the second. Machado finished with one goal and three assists in his best weekend of the season. He has racked up six goals and 18 points in 19 games thus far.
“He has a really, really good game. He has rounded out nicely for us. He has always been a skilled guy on the defensive side, but now he is playing well on both ends. His whole line of Tarun (Fizer) and (Brett) Trentham played well, and even (Jackson) Salt when we moved him there Sunday,” said Grant. “Brandon is starting to consistently turn into an elite player each game.”
Cochrane product Ben Laidlaw made 34 saves for his 11th win as the Bisons outshot the Kings by seven.
The Bisons look to start another winning streak Dec. 9 when they host the Calgary Royals (12-4-3) at the Strathmore Family Centre. Puck drop set for 8 p.m.
“We realize we have to be on our toes and we can’t afford to take a night off against these teams nipping at our heels in the standings,” said Trentham.
Seeing as the Christmas season is here now, the Bisons will be taking part in their 16th annual Christmas Shop with the Bisons on Dec. 11.
Each player will head around town to the elementary schools to be paired up with a child who might be a little less fortunate this time of the year and do some Christmas shopping. The kids and the players will head to the Co-op at 8 a.m. for an hour of shopping for the child’s family, followed by players attempting to wrap all the gifts. The Co-op sponsors the event. The kids and their families will also be given tickets to attend the Bisons tilt with the second-place Calgary Buffaloes (14-1-4) that afternoon (2 p.m.) at the Strathmore Family Centre.
The Bisons haven’t faced the Buffaloes or Royals this season, who sit second and third respectably in the Chrysler division. Last season, the Bisons went 1-0-1 against the Buffaloes and 2-0 against the Royals.