It was anything but a rocky start to the HJHL Semifinal for the Bisons.
Daniel Tainton scored a natural hat trick as the Carstar Okotoks Bisons rode to a 5-2 triumph over the Rocky Rams in Game 1 of the Heritage Junior Hockey League third round series Sunday night at the Murray Arena.
Jake Snashall and Ethan MacIntyre scored first period goals for the hosts with Quinn Tomalty answering for the visitors.
Tainton tallied his second goal of the playoffs in the middle stanza and added two more in the first eight minutes of the third period to complete the trick.
Nolan Smith added three assists with Scott Brown contributing two helpers.
Grady Nicholas made 16 saves for his fourth playoff win. The Bisons outshot the Rams 70-17.
Okotoks, two-time defending HJHL champions, got past High River in four games in the second round to get to the semifinal while Rocky, the third seed in the North, dispatched Mountainview in round two.
In the other HJHL Semifinal, the Sylvan Lake Wranglers took the series opener 2-1 in overtime over the Medicine Hat Cubs on Sunday afternoon.
The Bisons and Rams get back on the ice for Game 2 on Friday, March 8. Okotoks is next at home for Game 3 on March 9, an 8:30 p.m. start at the Murray Arena.
For more information, visit okotoksbisons.com.
HJHL semifinal schedule
Game 1: March 3, 8 p.m. at Murray Arena. Bisons win 5-2
Game 2: March 8, 8:30 p.m. at Rocky Arena
Game 3: March 9, 8 p.m. at Murray Arena
*Game 4: March 13, 7:45 p.m. at Rocky Arena
*Game 5: March 15, 8 p.m. at Murray Arena
*If necessary
