Bisons brace for playoff drive

Tyler Lowey
Times Reporter

 

It’s the old matchup of rest versus rust.
It’s also the same matchup as last year’s Alberta Midget Hockey League semifinals.
The fifth-placed Calgary Flames (20-12-2) have momentum on their side. They upset the third-placed Red Deer Optimist Chiefs, clipping them 3-2 in an overtime thriller Feb. 25.
The Foothills CFR Chemicals Bisons are well rested. They finished with the franchise’s best record (25-6-3) during a 34-game schedule, placing second in the Chrysler division, earning a first-round bye.
“It seems like forever since we played a game,” said Bisons head coach Sandy Henry. “Our guys are getting ancy to play again.”
Game 1 of the best-of-five divisional semifinals got underway March 1 at the Strathmore Family Centre (result unavailable as of press time). It has been 10 days since the Bisons wrapped up their regular season in Medicine Hat.
With the down time, some of the billeted players were able to head home and rest up for the playoff drive.
“We got to understand that they are coming in with lots of momentum, already winning one series as an underdog,” said Bisons alternate captain Tyson Scott. “We need to make sure we come out hard early and kill some of their momentum.”
Scott is one of six Bisons that participated in the 3-1 series win over the Flames in the semis last season. The Herd also took both regular season tilts from the Flames quite handedly, crushing the Flames 7-2 back on Oct. 30 in Calgary and iced them 4-1 in Strathmore on Jan. 13.
The Bisons are hoping some time off, combined with a few hard practices leading up to playoffs is the proper recipe to regain their dominance over the Flames.
“We tried to ramp up practice this week,” said Henry. “I expect a little bit of rust for us, but hopefully our adrenaline is up in front of the home crowd and we get going after the first few couple of shifts.”
The rocking home crowd is something that Bisons captain Brett Trentham recalls from last year’s playoff push.
“The fans get crazy here, we got to ride the high from the crowd and carry the energy throughout the game,” said Trentham. “It’s a special to be able to play a playoff game at home.”
With Tyler Petrie out day-to-day with a lower-body injury and Tarun Fizer still a long ways away from resuming skating, the Bisons called up Tucker Zdunich of the Foothills Bisons and Ryan Ries of the Airdrie Lightning, both forwards from the South Central Alberta Hockey League. Ries and Zdunich have both appeared in four games with the Herd, the most by any affiliated player.
Between the pipes, Henry decided to lean on Ben Laidlaw, who finished tied for the league lead with 14 wins.
Henry has been flip-flopping his goaltending duo all season except on one occasion. Laidlaw started the quarterfinals of the Mac’s Midget AAA Hockey Tournament and got called upon again for the semis.
“Ben will start Game 1 and we will dictate it from there,” said Henry. “If he stays strong, then he will get another game. But I want Hunter (Young) ready, he has played the Flames well this year.”
Game 2 went March 2 (result not available as of press time) at Father David Bauer Arena. Game 3 is scheduled for March 5 (2 p.m.) at the Strathmore Family Centre. If necessary, Game 4 would return to Father David Bauer Arena March 6 (7 p.m.), with Game 5 slated for March 9 (7 p.m._ back at the Strathmore Family Centre.
The first-placed Calgary Buffaloes (24-4-6) host the sixth-placed Calgary Northstars (16-16-2) in the other semifinal showdown.
The top-four seeds still remain in the Dodge division semifinals. The top-ranked Sherwood Park J. Ennis Kings (23-8-3) host the SSAC Boston Pizza Athletics (15-18-1), and the St. Albert Tire Warehouse Raiders (16-14-4) take on the Leduc Chrysler Oil Kings (14-15-5).