If there was any playoff rust, it sure didn’t last long for the Okotoks Carstar Bisons.
Coming off a first-round bye, Okotoks secured the four-game sweep in the Heritage Junior Hockey Leage Southern Division semifinal over the Strathmore Wheatland Kings with a 7-3 road triumph on Sunday night.
Braedon Legrandeur, Alaister Standen, Daniel Tainton, Boogie Blackwater, Jaevon Buschlen, Easton Dean and Adam Kirkpatrick all found the back of the net as Okotoks showcased its offensive depth with seven goal scorers in the decisive win.
In Game 3, Ethan MacIntyre continued to swing a hot stick with two tallies for a team-best four in the playoffs with Jake Snashall, Scott Brown and Tainton adding their first of the series in the 5-1 victory on Feb. 25.
Grady Nicholas made 23 saves to get the victory in his first start of the series after Dylan Fries backstopped the herd two wins on home ice.
The Bisons took Game 1 in dramatic fashion by a 2-1 score on Feb. 22 and were comprehensive winners of Game 2 with a much better start leading the hosts to a 5-2 result on Feb. 24.
Okotoks, the hosts of the upcoming Hockey Alberta Junior B Provincial Championships from April 6-9, await the winner of the Medicine Hat Cubs and Cochrane Generals series in the division final. The Cubs lead the evenly-matched series by a 2-1 count as of Feb. 26.
In the Northern Division, the top-seed Sylvan Lake Wranglers and the Rocky Rams are tied 2-2 in their semifinal set with the Airdrie Thunder and Mountainview Colts knotted at two games apiece.
For more information, visit okotoksbisons.com.
