51°µÍø

John Wilmshurst | Special to the 51°µÍø

Jasper Bantam Bearcats’ coaches Eric Bouchard and Jim Koss are like television chefs. 

Each year they are given a pile of ingredients, some familiar, some off-the-wall, and are challenged to come up with a gourmet meal. Here’s some Alberta AAA beef, a shaker of salt, chickpeas and couscous — Go.

 As they mix ingredients, trying to blend talents like flavours, they learn what works and what doesn’t. 

The first game of the season; a pre-season tilt between Jasper and Hinton played last weekend in our home kitchen was the reveal of ingredients, and while the outcome may have left a bad taste in people’s mouths, chefs Bouchard, Koss and Sawchuck are just starting to piece together a winning recipe.

I’m going to spoil your meal; the Bearcats ended up losing this one 8 to 1. 

At the end of the day, the final score was less important than how the chefs tried out different ingredients, and gave a taste of higher speed, faceoff hockey to the new kids.

For Kalan Sawchuk, Rowan Koss and MacLean Carmichael this was their first ever Bantam game where contact is allowed and making play with the puck on your stick has to be a bit quicker. 

All three passed the test. 

Koss took some hits and figured it out. He’s got his stick on the ice and clearly knows to head to the net when his more experienced linemates have the puck. 

Sawchuk played a smart game, staying tight along the boards and keeping his feet moving to keep up with the offensive flow. 

Carmichael seemed very comfortable in this new environment and just needs to get more familiar with his new team.

The main course of this team consists of a group of second year Bantams. 

For sure there were signs of being undercooked this early in the season. But the combinations that led the Bearcats to their division finals last season were still on the menu. 

Goaltender Donovan Fawcett looked sharp in net, stopping 34 of 42 shots directed his way, and coming up with some signature glove saves. 

Defencemen Michael Hayashi, Jacob Bouchard and Dexter Fawcett were tracking the puck well, have definitely picked up the physical game but looked uncomfortable handling the puck at times. 

And forwards Tanner Carlton, who assisted Jasper’s only goal and Ty Crozier looked much more composed than this time last year. A few more games under their belt and they’ll be connecting.

For dessert, the Bearcats have recruited four overage players who were standout on last year’s surprise runners-up, and who definitely will need to get going. 

Jacob Bartziokas on the back line was, next to Don, the best player on the ice on Sunday and almost scored a couple of times with point shots that just missed. 

Owen Kearnan did score Jasper’s lone goal and was an energetic presence on the ice to say the least. 

Finally, Liam Crozier and Sebastian Golla will need to work hard on and off the ice to get this team to gel.

There were a mix of disappointed, scared and elated faces in the dressing room after Sunday’s game. But for the coaches, the mood was light and fluffy. 

Despite the drubbing, Hinton is a team that the Bearcats can clearly play with, particularly once Jasper has more games in them.

Importantly, the coaches were sure that they had ingredients they could work with, and that every time they put Bearcat on the menu, the flavour is going to improve.

The Bantam Bearcats are back on the ice here in Jasper on Thanksgiving Sunday, at 4:15 p.m. to face Maskwacis. I’ll see you in the stands.