Bisons bounced in Mac’s semifinals

Tyler Lowey
Times Reporter

 

CFR Bisons vs. Vancouver Canadians
Dec. 29 at Father David Bauer Arena
Sitting 2-0, taking on the 2-0 Greater Vancouver Canadians Dec. 29 at Father David Bauer Arena, it was a playoff game come early for the Bisons.
The Bisons got the better of the Canadians, icing them 3-2 on the strength of goaltender Ben Laidlaw.
“We got outplayed for a lot of the game,” said Henry. “That’s the beauty of having a hot goaltender, you win games like that with guys like him.”
Laidlaw turned in 36 saves, as the Bisons were badly outshot 38-19.
Tied at two late in the third, defenseman Cole Clayton took a pass at the Canadians blue line and went on a dangle spree. Toe-dragging around one man, side-stepping another and wheeling around a third defender, he snapped a wrister on net that beat Lukas Shaw low glove side.
“I just wanted to make something happen,” said Clayton. “I stepped to the middle, buried my head and shot it. I looked up and saw the crowd stand up, I knew it was in — such a great feeling.”
Huber supplied a goal and an assist, Krebs chipped in with two helpers and Tarun Fizer sniped a goal in the second period

 

CFR Bisons vs. Moose Jaw Generals
Dec. 30 at Max Bell Centre
The Bisons capped off their round robin play with a 7-4 offensive outburst over the Moose Jaw Generals Dec. 30 at Max Bell Centre #1.
In Huber’s finest game of the tourney, he poured in a hat trick, all three goals coming via the booming slapshot.
The first two goals came thanks to a pair of beauty faceoff dot to faceoff dot saucer passes from Krebs — one was great and one was exceptionally great. The third clap-bomb came on a turnover in front of the Generals net. He was later named player of the game.
“He was busting the puck today. Wow, can he shoot the puck. Those openings were there today and he was teeing off,” said Bisons head coach Sandy Henry.
Krebs added a goal to go with his two lovely assists; Krahenbil, Landon Melzer and Boaz Bassen chipped in with one goal each; and Hunter Young made 26 saves in net for his second win of the tourney.

 

CFR Bisons vs. Calgary Royals
Dec. 31 at Father David Bauer Arena
The Bisons tripped up their Chrysler division rivals, the Calgary Royals, 3-2 in the quarterfinal tilt at Father David Bauer Arena.
Scoreless after the first, Payton Krebs bagged his second goal of the tourney on a breakaway, sniping low glove as he was falling down to his knees.
Trentham, who tied the game late when the two teams met earlier in the Alberta Midget Hockey League season, played a vital role in the quarterfinal victory, scoring the second goal on a backhand saucer pass on a two-on-one break with Brandon Machado. He returned the favour later in the second when he stripped a Royals defenceman deep in their zone, immediately stepping up Machado for the eventual winner.
A questionable hand-pass stopped play with 10 seconds left in the second. The Royals won the draw and dashed up the ice, scoring with 6.4 seconds left, cutting the Bisons lead down to one.
From that point on, the Royals dominated the Herd. In the third period, the ice was heavily slanted towards the Bisons end.
“We held on with sheer luck and determination,” said assistant coach Mike Langen. “When it comes down to it, these guys in the this room really don’t like to lose.”

 

CFR Bisons vs. Saskatoon Contacts
Dec. 31 at Max Bell Centre
After only trailing for 14 seconds in the round robin stage and quarterfinal game, the Bisons gave up an early goal to the Saskatoon Contacts and never recovered, losing 5-3 in the Mac’s Midget AAA World Invitational Tournament semifinal Dec. 31 at Max Bell Centre #1.
“I’m really proud of these guys,” said Bisons head coach Sandy Henry. “We had a really great tournament and we learned a lot about ourselves. This will only help us going forward into playoffs.”
Both teams playing roughly three hours after winning a quarterfinal matchup, neither team showed any effects of fatigue.
The Bisons legs appeared fresh, as they were skating back hard on defence, while the offence was creating several chances in the other end.
The Contacts opened the scoring when their captain Chance Adrian tipped in a point shot mid-way through the opening frame.
Much like how the Bisons won a game earlier in the tournament with a hot goaltender, Contacts goaltender Rayce Ramsay was there to turn away all the Bisons desperate efforts.
Also handicapping a Bisons comeback effort was the constant trip to the penalty box, deserved or not. The Bisons picked up a too-many-men penalty while on the penalty kill at the expiration of the first period. Zach Huber and Cole Clayton would later pick up a four-minute minor each.
Tyler Petrie got the Bisons on the board with his first of the tourney, sending a shot high, handcuffing Ramsay as the puck floated up, over and down into the net.
Huber capped off an outstanding tournament by sniping the Bisons second goal and his seventh of the tournament in the third period.
Joel Krahenbil was threatening all tourney and finally got rewarded for his efforts by banging in a loose rebound from a Brandon Machado shot from the left half wall.
“We went far and did well. Going 5-1 sounds pretty damn good to me. Sometimes you just don’t get the bounces to go in,” said Brett Trentham.
The Bisons picked up wins earlier in the tournament, 4-1 Dec. 27 against the Alaska Oilers at Max Bell Centre #1 and 5-2 over the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs Dec. 26 at Father David Bauer Arena.