Your Drumheller Dragons are nearing the end of their season and had two games over the weekend against the Bonnyville Pontiacs, who needed both wins to have a chance to pass the Fort McMurray Oil Barons for fourth place in the AJHL North Division.
Fourth place is key as it is the final playoff spot in the division. The Pontiacs came out to battle and on Saturday that is what would result. Both teams played physical in the first period but neither would find the back of the net. Drumheller would outshoot Bonnyville by a 14-6 margin.
The Pontiacs would score early in the second period with Porter Byrd-Leitner scoring his 17th of the year at 3:29. The Dragons would tie the game 1-1 at 8:31 when Ayden Peters scored his 19th of the season, from Luca Dufour and Will McLaughlin. Then, with under 44 seconds left in the first period, Will McLaughlin would score his 3rd of the year, from Easton Daneault and Tate Yule, giving the Dragons the 2-1 lead heading into the intermission.
Bonnyville would continue to battle trying to get the equalizer and with 5:32 remaining, Alex Coventry would tie the game 2-2, with his 4th of the season. The Dragons would take a penalty very late in the third but Bonnyville could not take the lead, sending the game into overtime.
The Pontiacs would remain on the powerplay to start the extra session and would score the game winning goal 41 seconds in with Luke Minard scoring his 3rd of the year, on the man advantage, giving the Pontiacs the 3-2 victory.
Shots on Goal
Bonnyville – 19
Drumheller – 40
Powerplays
Bonnyville – 1/4
Drumheller – 0/1
Game two of the two game miniseries against Bonnyville would take place on Sunday afternoon. The game would be very similar to the game on Saturday night.
The Dragons would out chance the Pontiacs in the first period but could not get anything by Bonnyville goaltender Cody Butikis. Drumheller outshot Bonnyville by a 14-4 margin but the score remained tied 0-0 after one.
Both teams would have their chances in the second period but both goaltenders, Matthew Kondro and Cody Butikis, would hold their ground and the game would remain knotted at 0-0 after two period.
Drumheller would break the stalemate at 5:11 of the third period when Allen Sherpa scored his 13th of the year, from Lauchlan Kozicky and Will McLaughlin. Bonnyville would tie the game on the powerplay with 6:49 remaining, when Brady Estabrook scored his 4th of the year. Drumheller would regain the lead just over two minutes later when Jase Johnstone tallied his 12th of the season, on the powerplay, from a shot by Kai Matthew and Tristan Payne. Bonnyville wouldn’t quit and would tie the game once again with 2:39 left on a goal by Myles Gauld (19). Just when we thought the game would need overtime once again, Drumheller’s Kai Matthew scored his 8th of the year with 1:12 remaining, from Tate Yule and Tristan Payne, giving the Dragons the 3-2 lead and eventually the victory.
Shots on Goal
Bonnyville – 16
Drumheller – 36
Powerplays
Bonnyville – 1/6
Drumheller – 1/4
3 Stars
- Kai Matthew DRM (GWG, 1 A)
- Matthew Kondro DRM (14 saves on 16 shots)
- Jase Johnstone DRM (1 G)
With the loss, the Bonnyville Pontiacs have been eliminated from AJHL Playoff contention. With the three points over the weekend, the Dragons are one point behind the Camrose Kodiaks for third in the AJHL South Division. If Camrose wins tonight (Tuesday) that would secure third place for the Kodiaks. The Dragons need the Kodiaks to lose both of their remaining games and Drumheller to win at home on Friday night against the Calgary Canucks, to pick up third place. Come down and cheer on your Dragons Friday night. Puck drop is at 7 PM. Tickets available at tickets.drumhellerdragons.ca.
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