Junior A Pontiacs back in action tonight

The Bonnyville Pontiacs will meet the Lloyd Bobcats tonight in the R.J. Lalonde arena with game time at 7:30 p.m. The team is currently in fourth place in the North division and fifth overall in the league. The Bobcats meanwhile are three places back of the Pontiacs with only 24 points compared to our squad's 36. This doesn't mean they can coast because the Bobcats can be testy especially if their fan base follows them. Come on out and make some noise for our lads. Go Pontiacs.

They got the Monkey off their back

The Pontiacs returned home to take on the Drayton Valley Thunder and they were hungry for a win after their disastrous road trip. The first period started out a bit scrambly and the Thunder took advantage of that to score the first marker of the game. The second period was a much better effort and the intensity was much improved. With that effort came results and the red light came on twice for the Pontiacs to give them the go ahead. The third period started out much like the first and the lads were having trouble coming out of their own end. Goaltender LaPlante kept them in the game and a third goal ensured the win.

They'll be back in the R.J. Lalonde arena this Friday night November 27 against the Lloydminster Bobcats. It's going to be wild. Game time is 7:30 p.m. 
Go Pontiacs.

Maybe the Government did the right thing

I heard this morning that the projected deficit is going to be much smaller than predicted. At least by about 1.3 Billion Bucks. These charts should help illustrate.

$36.4 Billion expense - $31.7 Billion = 4.7 now that's much better than $6 B. Minister Evans said she's still looking at the figures so lets hope its going down. I guess the one saving grace is that we don't have to borrow this money to cover the deficit. It can be shuffled from the rainy day fund - right?

Way to go PONTIACS!

It was a great weekend for the Bonnyville Pontiacs as they picked up four more points with back to back wins against two different teams.

Friday night saw the St. Albert Steel hungry for points to get them out of the third last place in the northern division. The Pontiacs were just too much for them and there was excellent work by the whole squad taking a 3 to 0 lead by the 1:50 mark of the second period. A bit of complacency then snuck in as they let St. Albert score one toward the end of the period making it 3-1. St. Albert picked up one more but the trio of Tyler Henry (g), Shawn Bates (a) and Jordan Krankowski(a) teamed up to grab the insurance marker.

It was also a great night for First Captain of the Pontiacs, Mike Germann who was honored by having his # 20 jersey retired to the rafters of the RJ Lalonde arena. Mike and his family journeyed up from Lloydminster, where he has his welding business Slapshot Welding, for the celebration.

Saturday night was another opportunity to celebrate as the arena stands held a large contingent of Pontiac Alumni as they were honored for their contribution to the sport of hockey in Bonnyville as well as $50,000 towards new rink boards and many great years of entertainment for area sports fans.

The game itself against the Brooks Bandits, who were sitting second with 30 points in the south division, was another terrific celebration as the Pontiacs out-hussled, out-hit and out-wrangled the visitors from the south with a convincing 3 - 0 shut out. Julien Laplante was outstanding in goal as was the ever steady defenseman Matt Register who played a heads up game all the way. The addition of Alias Kalinsky to the team has certainly added some needed size and skill and he's going to be definite benefit to the team. Denis Cadrin had a couple of great outings as well, scoring the first goal on Saturday and adding an assist plus another goal on Friday.


Julien Laplante #35 was outstanding between the pipes and picked up his second shutout of the season.

The Pontiacs are now on the road again with games against the Calgary Royals on November 18, the Olds Grizzlies who are cellar dwellers in the south on the 19th, the Calgary Canucks on Saturday the 21st and their fourth away game at Drumheller on Sunday, November 22. The team will be back home against the north division bottom dwellers Drayton Valley Thunder on Tuesday, November 24th. Game time is 7:30 - See You There.
Go PONTIACS!!

Ed's on top and Lottery Luck

Well, if you live in Alberta you've got a reaffirmed provincial leader with a 77% approval rating by his party, the sun is still shining even if it's a little cooler, and, none of us won the $50 Million draw over last weekend. There's always next week.

Can you imagine winning that kind of money? I've been writing a list of things I'd do and I haven't even worked through the first 6 or 7 Million. I've got most of the bills paid off, the kids looked after, a nice house for the missus and me, a nice vehicle to travel in and a few really good causes looked after. Now what? Buy an island somewhere? I'm not sure. The isolation would get to me after awhile and I'd have to invite some friends over for a get together. Then, just like that kid on TV the party would get out of hand, the money would run out and I'd have to start buying tickets again.

In any case, congratulations go out to Marie and Kirby Fontaine of Manitoba. They live on the Skagkeeng First nations where Kirby was a Constable until he had a stroke about a year ago. The money will definitely come in handy for sure. It will be quite exciting for a while but eventually they will have to make decisions about staying or leaving, who they should help and what to do with all that money. I think I'd be able to handle it but you never know. They say money does strange things to people especially large amounts like this. I'd probably just go get some new hair. Enjoy!

The Hat Man Cometh

The Junior A Pontiacs were on a tear in the first period as they filled the twine 3 times on Tuesday night against the Ft. Mac Oil Barons. The Missus and I and all those around us thought it might be a run away but then the wheels started to fall off. The second period saw the Ft. Mac squad ring the bell three times but fortunately our lads picked one up to stay ahead of them to the end of the period. They picked up an insurance marker in the final stanza to beat the Barons 5 to 3.  That's twice now in as many games against Ft. Mac.

The guy that really stood out this time and picked up a great Hat Trick was Kirk Belyk. He was everywhere and set the pace for the rest of the team. I knew I bought the right guy at the team fund raiser the other night. (Nice salad Kirk!)

The team is now off to Brooks, Canmore and Okotoks this weekend and will return here for games against St. Albert and Brooks on November 13 and 14.  Go Pontiacs!

They went right around the block- Almost

The H1N1 Flu has a lot of people spooked. It seems like a lack of planning caught Health Services a little short. Either they weren't expecting a large uptake or it just rolled up on them too quickly. In any case there were line ups all over and especially right here in Bonnyville. Unfortunately they had to wait outside and it was wet!

It's too bad they weren't able to wait inside but the building was already packed with  a high school volleyball tourney. Apparently not everyone got a shot as they ran out at the 500 mark. They might have saved some wait times if they had issued wrist bands or colored tickets to match the number of shots. Those turned away could have received a different colour for the next day or time.
I hear they've gone back to the drawing board for a new plan before they roll out anymore shots. They are saying high risk should be first.