At their current clip a 20-day holiday break was the only thing likely to halt the Okotoks Bisons’ impressive winning streak in the Heritage Junior Hockey League.
The Bisons extended their unbeaten streak to 26 games by sweeping their three-game weekend to close out the schedule prior to their extended hiatus from the ice during the Heritage Junior Hockey League’s (HJHL) Christmas break.
“It was a good test this weekend with three strong teams and we took it as a playoff series,” said Bisons alternate captain Zach Baba. “We took it one game at a time and won all three.”
Okotoks opened the weekend at home on Friday and earned a 6-3 win over the Cochrane Generals. The Bisons entered the Snake Pit in Coaldale and handed the second-place Copperheads a 6-1 loss on Saturday. Okotoks then turned in a 3-1 victory over the Airdrie Thunder at the Murray Arena in Okotoks Sunday in the team’s 2012 finale.
Against Airdrie Jeremy Smith and Dillon Loomer staked the hosts to a 2-0 lead, but Thunder Doug Fraser made a game of it when he tickled the twine with 70 seconds remaining in the second period.
Bisons head coach Mike Hannigan said his team was running on fumes in the Sunday tilt.
He told his players to leave it all on the ice with a 2-1 lead heading into the final frame.
“We talked in the room about throwing it out, emptying the tanks if you will,” Hannigan said. “That we have 20 days off and let’s just finish it right.”
The team heeded the advice.
Phil Dillon added the insurance marker three minutes into the third stanza, giving Okotoks the breathing room it needed to ensure the victory. Alex Bilton stopped 40 shots for the goaltender’s second win of the weekend.
“We didn’t really limit our turnovers — we just limited how bad they were with where they were on the ice,” Dillon said. “Getting pucks deep always seems to help.”
The Bisons had extra motivation to send the Thunder packing as Airdrie’s 4-4 tie with Okotoks in October is the only blemish on the Bisons’ 26-game unbeaten streak.
“They were the only team we haven’t beat yet so we wanted to get that,” Dillon said. “We definitely did want to avenge that tie.”
With 25 wins and one tie on their current run, the Bisons (26-2-1) hold a massive lead of 24 points on the Copperheads for Southern Division supremacy.
Hannigan said his squad’s consistency this season is especially noteworthy given the current competitive balance of the league.
“What makes this year a little different is that every team is a little better than they have been in the past,” Hannigan said. “You could play a third-last team in the league and they will give you a good run. This is a better league so to have this kind of streak in this league is pretty impressive.”
Baba, 21, said the Bisons won’t be resting on their laurels when HJHL play resumes in early January.
“We definitely have a lot of confidence, but it’s a new season after the new year,” Baba said. “It’s a totally different game when every one is making a push for the playoffs.”
The Bisons return to the ice on Jan. 5 when they square off with the Cubs in Medicine Hat. Okotoks doesn’t return home until Jan. 13 when it hosts the High River Flyers.
“It’s nice to have that break. A lot of the guys deserve it,” Baba said. “We just have to come back the week before at practices before our game and get right back into it.”
For more information on the team visit www.okotoksbisons.com.
