It was Saturday evening on Oct. 25, and they believed they’d played a solid game the night before against the Storm, but couldn’t find a path to victory and lost 3-1. The trend could’ve been concerning. The Yaks couldn’t win a close game, suffering several losses in one-goal contests (excluding empty-netters), nor could they collect a home win.
Record-wise, the team sat 4-7 and near the bottom of the AJHL standings. But the Pontiacs were not getting discouraged. Bonnyville battled relentlessly when trailing, as Evan Schulha took a tough fight, Ben Constantino dove to strip a puck down two goals already – the team showed no quit.
The rematch that night was as one-sided as a road win can get. Shot out of a cannon, the Pontiacs scored nine unanswered goals to blow out the Storm 9-1.
A switch flipped.
From that game on, the Pontiacs have earned a 8-2 record in their last 10 games, the best in the AJHL. The ingredients were there, but with head coach Chad Mercier’s demand for competitiveness and structure, the dish is coming together.
A key catalyst for the team’s success was the instant chemistry between newcomer Max Pendy, returnee Christophe Lussier, and unheralded 16-year-old Gavin Harrison. This trio is the AJHL’s most dangerous line.
Max Pendy is on a scoring tear. Leading the league with 15-30–45, Pendy is currently on a 10-game point streak, the third longest streak this season in the AJHL.
In that span, Pendy has accumulated 9 goals, 20 assists, and 29 points, to make it one of the most impressive scoring runs in recent Pontiacs memory. In fact, the streak is longer and more prolific than recent standouts Matteo Giampa, Nicolas Beaudoin, or Luka Sukovic produced.
But he isn’t doing it alone. Lussier has already surpassed his goal and assists total from his rookie season, taking a quantum leap in his second junior year, and is 4th in league scoring (14-16–30).
Then Gavin Harrison has been a revelation. The Cold Laker leads all rookies in points 9-17–26 and has looked ready for big things in his hockey career. That led to him signing a development contract with the Swift Current Broncos (WHL) and getting called up for a game last weekend. But he isn’t alone in WHL call-ups.
The Portland Winterhawks saw how well 16-year-old defenceman Liam Reed’s game was translating to junior, after being selected in the 4th round a year ago. Reed has not let his diminutive stature stop him from being effective and has played three times with the Winterhawks.
Ryley Budd has also persevered through adversity. After a slow start and injury, Budd came back in dramatic fashion with 39-save and 31-save victories against division foes Lloydminster and Grande Prairie. That got him a call to start with the Saskatoon Blades last weekend.
Pontiacs players are making strides in their individual games and that’s a big reason why they’re winning.
One player they’ve maximized is Ben Constantino, using him as a defenceman and forward in situations and specific games. The St. Albert “army knife” has made the most of his rover role, playing on the first unit powerplay in a net front position, then killing penalties as a defender.
His big body makes him a menace beside goaltenders, and he’s banged home seven goals on the powerplay, while scoring 10-10–20 in 19 games. Constantino’s presence in the lineup makes the Pontiacs a better team.
But the return of Max Shushkov, most often paired with Alex Coventry, has been an underrated storyline for the team’s recent success. Shushkov’s ability to move pucks (1-14–15) and much improved defensive play from a year ago, has made him a staple in key situations for assistant coach Chad Carder.
Coventry isn’t as offensive, but doesn’t need to be. The 6’7” tower has simplified his game to great success and by necessity, eats up tons of minutes on the backend. Then there’s Evan Schulha. Schulha showed fight, literally, back on Oct. 24, as the rookie defenceman didn’t back down from Will Harris and won a spirited bout.
He’s established himself as a player with hockey IQ and is tied for the 2nd most points by a rookie defenceman, while being recognized this week as the AJHL Rookie of the Week. With injuries and WHL callups, the Pontiacs iced an all Bonnyville-born line with Brent Hoshowski-Rylan Emigh-Austin Wentz last weekend.
Hoshowski has been playing the best hockey of his junior career, relishing his penalty killing role and scoring two game-winning-goals in November against Drayton Valley and Lloyd.
Austin Wentz’s speed and tenacity is blossoming nicely. The second-year junior took time adjusting from Devon, but lately is showing why the Pontiacs acquired him. No bigger a moment for Wentz was a shorthanded goal on Nov. 21 at the Camrose Kodiaks, which stood up as the game-winner.
Rylan Emigh too has been learning the junior game in his first season, but is continuing to accumulate chances. He’s one of just four Pontiacs to dress every game and is due to get hot after scoring in Saturday’s game against the Kodiaks.
An argument can be made that the team’s unsung hero through 21 games is goaltender Nathan Salibsury. With the team having two 17-year-old goaltenders, there can be growing pains, but Salisbury has proven to be a steady and reliable option, and at times, put the Pontiacs on his back.
Salisbury had a stretch of playing eight straight games for the Yaks, and was brilliant in a career-high, 44-save win for a Pontiacs comeback in Camrose on Nov. 21. In fact, no goalie has played more minutes than Salisbury. His nine wins is tied for the most in the AJHL, boasting the third most saves. For a 17-year-old goalie in the AJHL, that’s unheard of.
You don’t win eight of your last 10 games without strong special teams, and the Pontiacs powerplay cooks. The Bonnyville PP has scored in 10 straight games, a stretch of 16 goals in their last 42 attempts.
That’s a 38 per cent success rate stretch that has rocketed them to the best PP in the AJHL North Division. Powerplay percentages are high across the league, which makes their 77.3 per cent PK success sit 6th in the AJHL.
Bonnyville’s 2nd best road record in the league can take a brief rest, as they are in the middle of a four-game homestand. Heading into the weekend 4th in the North, the Yaks will play eight games before the Christmas break, five of which at home, and all but one in division.
Three of those games will be against 1st-place Whitecourt Wolverines, a good measuring stick for the team’s recent success. Keep ypur eye on two recently rescheduled games.
- Tuesday, Dec. 2 vs Fort McMurray
- Tuesday, Dec. 9 vs Whitecourt
Cheer on your Pontiacs by securing your tickets at tickets.bonnyvillepontiacs.ca/
