In-season momentum in a weekend league is a tough thing to corral.
The Okotoks Jr. B Bisons might just have lassoed the elusive following a four-point weekend featuring a rare win in the Snake Pit and a dominant performance on home-ice to solidify first in the Heritage Junior Hockey League’s Southern Division.
“It’s huge. We have a nice little rivalry with Coaldale and it’s always good to go down to the Pit and silence their fans,” said Bisons forward Robbie McLean. “Especially in a shootout from a tight, hard fought game. It showed a lot of character.
“We kept that momentum going from (Coaldale) and played at a fast pace, kept our feet moving.”
Wins over Coaldale, who has ended Okotoks’ season for three years running in the playoffs, have that effect.
Rookie forward Josh Russo, Adam Stafford and McLean scored while alternate captain Kyle Harrison notched the only tally in five rounds of shooters to clinch the 4-3 win.
Netminder Devin Reagan made 36 saves for the victory on Saturday.
Less than 15 hours later the Bisons were back on the ice hosting the Ponoka Stampeders Sunday at the Murray.
McLean registered a hat-trick and five-point effort as Okotoks cruised to the 7-3 triumph.
“Every game I expect to be involved in the offensive play,” McLean said. “To get some chances and get some good looks.”
Offence from the defence got the herd rolling on Sunday.
Dallas Otto opened the scoring and fellow blueliner Taylor McNeill doubled the lead on a delay penalty within the first eight minutes of action. Harrison and McLean added markers to round out the four-goal opening frame.
“We were a little tired getting back at three last night,” McLean said. “I was happy with the jump the boys had and the intensity even though Ponoka isn’t the best in league, it was a hard fought battle.
“It’s just building off each other, small little plays, a good pass, good hit and communicating.”
The Stampeders charged back on the powerplay in the middle frame and cut the lead in half before Nicholas Murrell got his stick on a McNeill point shot to make it a 5-2 advantage. McLean added a pair of third period tallies to complete the hat-trick and improve his goal totals to 12 in 17 games. Okotoks (12-5-1) sits two points up on Coaldale for top-spot in the South with a game in hand on the Snakes.
“It’s a short 30-game season so we’re always conscientious,” McLean said. “We’re hoping we can lace a few together and create a little separation because we believe we’re the best and that we will be able to take it all the way this year.”
The Bisons hit the road this weekend for dates in Three Hills and Stettler on Nov. 24-25, respectively. For more information go to okotoksbisons.com
Guess who’s back?
It’s hard to say goodbye to the Bisons.
Taylor McNeill thought his time with the HJHL club was over after being forced out as the odd-man out among the five overage players on the squad.
Eleven games later and the hard-nosed defenceman is back in Bisons colours.
“I don’t really ask questions I just got a call and came back,” McNeill said. “It was pretty sad to watch, especially if they lost a game you want to help them, you’re watching and you want to be out there helping, sticking up for them. To not be able to do that was tough.”
He had no second thoughts of returning once being asked to do so. The Okotokian has logged over 107 games played over four seasons with his hometown outfit.
“At the end of the day I want to play hockey, this is kind of my second home, my family. To be back in there playing with them is pretty fun,” he said. “You’ve just got to go out and play. I knew we had a good 21 group and a lot of 20s and knew it was going to be tough off the start.
“With this group I know we can go far, I think it’s a championship team and I’m happy to be part of it again.”
