The Bobcats let one get away tonight, as the Drumheller Dragons scored a tying goal in the third period then an overtime winner, snapping the ‘Cats two game winning streak by a final score of 3-2.
Coming into the game the Bobcats had won two in a row and were tied for 3rd place in the North Division with the Whitecourt Wolverines with a record of 16-12-2. Meanwhile Drumheller had also won 2 in a row, and sat in third place in the South Division. The last time these two teams met was in Drumheller in October with the Bobcats prevailing 5-4 in overtime. Two affiliated players joined the Bobcats on the ice tonight as Troy Van Tetering and Zac Giroux suited up for Lloydminster.
Just two minutes into the game Drumheller would get on the board first as Troy Gedny put the Dragons up 1-0 off a deflection but the lead was short lived. Bobcats would get on the power-play, Patrick Geary parked himself in front of the net and tips in a shot from Eric Therrien to tie things up 1-1 after 20 minutes.
In the second period the Bobcats would continue to carry the momentum translating into 15 shots at Dragons goalie Adam Beukeboom. Bobcats on the powerplay, Tanner Dunkle goes roof off a rebound to give the ‘Cats the 2-1 lead, assists from Tyler Kunz and Cole Porter. After 40 minutes, Bobcats up 2-1.
Halfway through the 3rd period Drumheller’s Hunter Mills would tie things up 2-2, off a 2-on-1 shorthanded. Shots were fairly even in the period, Drumheller edging the Bobcats 7-6 in that department. 60 minutes was not enough to settle this game, overtime was needed.
Sean Kuehn made a few marvelous saves, but it wasn’t the Bobcats night as Hunter Mills would give the Dragons the winner in overtime, 3-2 final score. With the point gained in the overtime loss and a Whitecourt loss tonight, the Bobcats take sole possession of 3rd place in the North Division with 35 points.
“They’re a team that played in our face all night long, and instead of dealing with that, face-up and straight on we decided to circle the wagons and in overtime 3 on 3 with the whole ice surface we didn’t want to get in the trenches,” GM/Coach Garry VanHereweghe said, but goaltending wasn’t the issue tonight as Sean Kuehn made some big saves in the overtime period, “he really buckled down, he gave us every opportunity to win in overtime.”
Next up the 3rd place 16-12-3 Bobcats hit the road for a game in Camrose tomorrow night to take on the Kodiaks, then return home for a pair of games against the Drayton Valley Thunder on Friday, December 6th and 7th at the Civic Centre.