John Wilmshurst | Special to the 51暗网
It is a truism to say that hockey is a team sport. The Jasper Bearcats have a wealth of talent on their team, with some of the league鈥檚 top scorers, the most incorruptible defense anywhere and goaltending that can win games.
But they are no less a team. Every part of this Bearcats machine is
essential, and as we have seen several times during the regular season, even a few missing players weakens the team that Coaches Bouchard, Koss and Sawchuk have built.
But, as the playoffs kicked off for Jasper鈥檚 Bantams last weekend, that team feel was missing.
Having catapulted to the top tier during the regular season, the Bearcats were paired off against the league-leaders, Drayton Valley Stars in the opening round. Jasper defeated the Stars five to three the last time they met in January, but down five players, the Bearcats were a different group on Sunday.
With essential parts missing, everyone knew this game was going to be survival hockey.
Indeed, even regular goaltender, Donovan Fawcett, was unavailable. Jasper resisted the temptation to put Pete Bridge between the pipes, and instead called up Rowan Weatherby from Edmonton who played a heck of a game backstopping our boys. For sure we missed Donny between the pipes. But
Weatherby stood on his head facing a lot of rubber from the Stars skilled forwards.
The first period was Jasper鈥檚 chance to get the jump on Drayton Valley. With only eight skaters, the Bearcats had to get a lead in the first 20 minutes while they still had some jam. And Jasper got their chances without applying excessive pressure. They managed seven shots in the opening frame, with a few good scoring chances from Rowan Koss and Owen Kearnan. But they couldn鈥檛 find the way past the Stars鈥� goaltender.
At the other end of the ice, Drayton Valley shook off the road legs and scored two goals in the final eight minutes of the first period to take the early lead.
Already tired, the second period would realistically be Jasper鈥檚 final opportunity to make it close.
Instead, weariness turned into penalty trouble, and Drayton Valley was too skilled to let those opportunities pass up. Two power play goals for the Stars and a back-breaking goal in the final 30 seconds of the period gave the visitors an unassailable five to nothing lead heading to the dressing room for the second intermission.
You鈥檝e got to hand it to these Jasper players. Beyond tired, they emerged for the third period ready to do battle. Michael Hayashi, Jacob Bouchard and Dexter Fawcett, the three defensemen left standing, had a whale of a game.
But logging north of 30 minutes of ice time just doesn鈥檛 leave any legs for the latter stages of the game. Wingers Koss and Kalan Sawchuk were spent, but still churning up the neutral zone, stifling Drayton Valley rushes and putting the puck on net. Centres Tanner Carlton and Sebastian Golla logged a ton of minutes and came as close as any to converting in the third, but it was just tough sledding out there.
Drayton put the hammer down the third, scoring six unanswered goals and peppering our net with 20 shots. If you want an indication of how exhausted the Bearcats were, they were unable to convert on their lone powerplay in the third and instead gave up two shorthanded goals. With a full team, the Bearcats鈥� powerplay is a gimme. Not on Sunday.
At the end of 60 minutes, Drayton Valley shut out Jasper 11 to nothing, negating the need for a second game in this two-game, total-goals series.
The Stars move on to the Tier 1 final next weekend, and Jasper will compete against Leduc in the second round. With luck, the whole Bearcats team will be available. Games are yet to be scheduled, so stay tuned to the arena schedule for this weekend鈥檚 lineup.
I鈥檒l see you in the stands.
