Sporting their vintage jerseys the Okotoks Bisons put forth throwback hockey in its preseason debut.
The Heritage Junior Hockey League outfit had a different look under first-year bench boss Chris Beston with old school, crash-and-bang hockey to break the ice on the exhibition schedule in a seesaw 4-3 loss in a shootout to the reigning South Division champion Cochrane Generals on Friday.
“We were aggressive and I would like us to be even a little more aggressive,” Beston said. “We’ve got a big team and we’ve got to use that size to our advantage and not let the little teams get away it.”
Talus Hume notched the shootout winner in the third round at the Murray Arena.
Josh McCulloch forced overtime with a late equalizing marker with just over two minutes left in regulation. Newcomers Zack M’hamed and Josh Russo provided the other tallies for the hosts.
Matthew Baba took over in between the pipes for the second half of the game and allowed just one goal through 30 minutes of action in relief of starter Matt McDonald.
The Okotokian is the second member of his family to wear the Bisons colours following in the footsteps of older brother Zachary, a feared enforcer in his day, who helped the team to its only provincial title in 2013 before later serving as assistant GM of the club.
“I grew up watching this team so it was a lot of fun to play for them and take after my brother a bit,” said the younger Baba. “I just took it as another game, try not to stress out. I’ve got to do my best.”
Winger Braeden Germain marked his junior debut by looking the part of a 20-year-old league veteran.
The 2001 born Okotokian’s aggressive forecheck was a thorn in the side of the vistors all evening.
“Piss the other team off, that’s what I do,” Germain said. “That was better than I expected. I was expecting to get drilled out there doing the stuff I was doing, but it was fine. These guys are just naturally bigger, stronger.”
Germain, Russo and the midget-aged players were among the standouts from the contest for the head coach.
“I was impressed,” Beston added. “I thought our young kids did really well, they stepped it up, battled and competed. For our older guys it was the first game so it’s going to take a few to get into it and be ready.
“The midgets, they blew me away tonight.”
Beston has already seen steady growth just three practices and a short camp into the season.
The Okotokian was named head coach of the team just weeks prior to camp after taking over for Mike Hannigan who stepped down after 12 prolific seasons with the squad.
“We’ve come a long way,” the coach added. “We didn’t have a lot of kids at camp and for three practices into it we’re ahead of the schedule from where I thought we would be.”
The Bisons wrap up the condensed pre-season on Sept. 17 in a battle with the Strathmore Wheatland Kings in Indus at 5:30 p.m.
Among the key decisions for the coaching staff and management include the overage situation where six 21-year-old skaters are competing for the maximum four spots.
Beston said he will take the best four players through the exhibition slate regardless of position.
Okotoks and Cochrane open the regular season on Sept. 22 for an 8 p.m. puck drop at the Murray Arena.
For more information go to okotoksbisons.com
