This doesn’t seem like Lloydminster. That was a common sentiment Friday night (Sept. 12) as fans and teams alike savoured their first taste of junior A hockey pre-season action in the brand-new Cenovus Energy Hub.
Read more: VIDEO: Bobcats host pre-season opener at Cenovus Energy Hub
The script was complete after the host Lloydminster Bobcats defeated the Battlefords North Stars 7-1, much to the delight of almost 1,000 fans who shared in the latest chapter of Border City hockey history.
“It was awesome, despite it only being the pre-season,” said Bobcats’ hometown veteran forward Kade Fendelet. “The amount of support we had out there, all the guys were fired up. So, to play a game like we did, especially our first one here, it’s a super-good feeling.
“We knew this game meant a lot, regardless of it only being the pre-season. Our first game here, we wanted to do everything we could to make sure the fans have a good time. I think we did that tonight.”
Fendelet and Kael Screpnek each scored two goals and an assist for the Bobcats, who connected four times on power plays and rebounded from a 4-1 loss to the Bonnyville Pontiacs six days earlier in the final game at Lloydminster’s storied rink, the Centennial Civic Centre.
Former Quebec major junior forward Loic Goyette got the party started when he netted the only goal of the first period on a fortuitous shot from a difficult angle. Goyette, Alessio Nardelli and Esteban Cinq-Mars each recorded a goal and an assist. Lucas Magowan and Raphael Messier contributed two assists apiece.
Halifax U18 major graduate Sam Madgett stopped 19 shots as he went the distance in the Lloydminster net. The lone Battlefords goal came from Adam Konowalchuk on a power play six minutes into the final period.
The AJHL’s Bobcats outshot the SJHL’s North Stars 50-20, including a 45-16 margin over the last 40 minutes. Starting goaltender Connor Baumbach gave way to Brayden Nebus after the first period.
The same teams met on Sunday (Sept. 14) at Thunderchild First Nation, near Turtleford, Sask., as Battlefords posted a 5-3 victory.
The Bobcats fired 31 shots at Baumbach and Thomas Samborski. Lloyd’s Malakai Zwiers and Kannen Kirkwood faced a combined 17 shots.
Anthony Campbell scored two second-period goals as Battlefords gained a 4-2 lead.
Fresh from the WHL, Morgan Hackman netted a goal and an assist for the Bobcats. Nardelli and Gus El-Tahhan also scored.
FIRST GAME FRIDAY
After going 2-3 in the pre-season, the Bobcats begin their AJHL regular season this Friday (Sept. 19) in another big night at the Hub. The Fort McMurray Oil Barons visit Lloyd for 7 p.m. games Friday and Saturday.
It was spring-like, playoff weather last week as the Hub opened for its major tenant. The Bobcats wanted to play at least one exhibition game in the new rink to get a feel for the building, and for the organization to address technical glitches — such as ticketing and internet service — on the administrative side.
“For us, it’s an opportunity to work out some of the kinks,” Bobcats general manager Nigel Dube said during the debut game. “But at the same time, what an exciting night for the facility to open. A crowd like this in a pre-season (game), ultimately at the Centennial Civic Centre, would be a full house.
“Numbers that we haven’t seen in a pre-season game before. Faces that we’ve never seen, either. People coming in this week for season tickets that haven’t in a long time, or ever. So, a lot of excitement and a great turnout.”
Of course, a decisive win for the Bobcats only added to the Hub’s unofficial festivities. It was an eye-opening night for fans and participants alike.
“The most common thing (we heard) all week is that it doesn’t feel like Lloydminster in the facility,” Dube said. “You look at just the overall build of it. You look at the Jumbotron in the middle that pretty much got fired up this afternoon for tonight’s game. Just scratching the surface of what it’s capable of doing, and the fan engagement and everything like that. It’s real exciting.”
PRO-LIKE ATMOSPHERE
Players from both teams at least momentarily broke from their typical pre-game routines to soak up the surroundings in a spacious arena that gave them a big-league feel.
“One of the coolest things was our guys getting to see the dressing room for the first time, on Thursday,” Dube said. “These guys look up to the pros and you watch all those videos on the interweb and to walk into a spacious room like that with all the amenities, that’s next level from what we were in before, it’s special.
“Especially for local players like Kade Fendelet, Jaxan Hopko and Brady Gamble, guys that have been around (Lloyd) a long time. A lot of those guys played at the Archie (Miller) and the Civic and all that. To see those guys come into this facility has been really cool.
“We had Battlefords players, before the game, asking about the facility, because they couldn’t believe how amazing it was. It’s a good recruiting tool. There’s no doubt, it’s going to work.”
On the ice, the Bobcats are trying to build a team that can contend for a championship. Last year, they were bumped from the first round of the AJHL playoffs as the Grande Prairie Storm posted a four-game sweep.
“On the hockey side, I’ve been here for eight seasons, and I think we’ve had great growth,” said Dube, formerly the team’s coach. “Ultimately, what we need to do is win, and not in September but in the spring when it matters. Obviously, our coaching staff has been dedicated to looking after the coaching side of it and not worried about the distractions of the new building. They just focus on (hockey) and keep our players focused. I think we’ve seen that growth already through the pre-season here, and they’ve done a great job of it.”
Eric Labrosse has succeeded Jeff Woywitka as the Bobcats’ head coach. Matt Brassard is back as an assistant coach.
Labrosse and new assistant coach Paul-Antoine Deslauriers guided the Northern Manitoba Blizzard to the Manitoba junior A league championship last season.
A defenceman from that Blizzard team, Cinq-Mars, now is skating with Lloydminster.
MOORE STICKS IN WHL
Any hopes the Bobcats had of regaining Cooper Moore were dashed last week when the 19-year-old forward signed with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers. Moore was the Bobcats’ rookie of the year last season. He and El-Tahhan led the team with 50 points each.
“It’s tough,” Dube said of Moore’s departure. “We used to look at it as losing (a player), and now we look at it as developing. He’s now a Western Hockey League player, as well as (an NCAA) Division 1 hockey commit, so it’s exciting for Cooper. We’re proud of him. That’s the pathway that we’ll look to continue to grow moving forward, with a lot of these players. It gives somebody else an opportunity to step up in the lineup.”
The Bobcats added size and experience to their roster with the recruitment of forwards Goyette and Hackman. Goyette spent three-plus seasons in the QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts and Drummondville Voltigeurs. Hackman joined Lloyd last week from the WHL’s Wenatchee Wild. He split last season between Wenatchee and the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers.
Hackman and Bobcats defenceman Noah Smith were also teammates in previous seasons with prep teams at Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna.
The likes of Hackman and Goyette complement the imposing Fendelet as the Bobcats try to create a stronger physical presence at forward.
“I think that’s one thing we wanted to address from last year, was size up front,” Dube said. “We’ve added some bigger guys up there that can move guys around. It should be exciting to see them.”
TIPLER NOT COMING TO BOBCATS
The Bobcats don’t expect to see former Lloydminster U18 AAA and U15 AAA defenceman Kale Tipler of Edgerton, Alta., at least not anytime soon.
When they released the 19-year-old Tipler during the pre-season, the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes announced he would spend this year with the junior A Bobcats. But that’s not the case, Dube advised Friday.
SEASON-OPENING ROSTER
Early this week, the Bobcats’ season-opening roster stood at 25 players (three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 14 forwards).’
Read more: Bobcats skate into Civic Centre history
