The Lloydminster Bobcats experienced a weekend of high drama at the Cenovus Energy Hub, wrapping up action with a thrilling shootout victory after dropping a hard-fought, high-scoring contest days prior.
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The Bobcats (5-4-0-0) pulled off a dramatic comeback on Saturday, erasing a two-goal deficit in the dying minutes of regulation to edge the Drayton Valley Thunder 3-2 in a shootout. Trailing 2-0 late in the third period following power-play markers from Drayton Valley’s Taynton Lavender and Damian Hill, Lloydminster sparked an explosive rally.
Forward Rylan Wieler ignited the comeback by scoring at 18:56, then struck again just 33 seconds later at 19:29 to equalize and force extra time. After a scoreless five-minute overtime, Emile Plourde and Landen Ward converted in the shootout, while netminder Mark Djomo turned aside 28 of 30 shots—plus shutdown heroics in the shootout—to secure the win. Jac Carli made 25 saves for the Thunder (6-1-2-0).
The weekend opened on a tougher note for the hosts, who fell 5-4 to the Olds Grizzlys in a penalty-filled affair. Finn Bagley notched the game-winning goal on the power play at 7:17 of the third period to lift Olds (4-3-1-0).
The back-and-forth clash saw Olds jump out to a 2-0 lead before Lloydminster battled back. Kael Screpnek, Shaun Going, and Wieler paced the Bobcats’ offence, but Bagley’s marker proved decisive. Grizzlys goaltender Corbin Sanderman stopped 32 of 36 shots for the victory, while Sam Madgett made 31 saves for Lloydminster.
The physical matchup also featured multiple major penalties and third-period game misconducts handed to Lloydminster’s Maxx Parfitt and Olds’ Zee Jamal.
The Bobcats will look to build on their resilient shootout momentum as they continue their AJHL schedule.
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