With a full moon hanging overhead on a beautiful Saturday night, the sun set on the storied Lloydminster Centennial Civic Centre on Sept. 6.
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In what was likely the final game played at the soon-to-be-dismantled rink, the host Lloydminster Bobcats lost 4-1 to the rival Bonnyville Pontiacs in Alberta Junior Hockey League exhibition action.
The Bobcats expect to play their final pre-season home game — Friday, Sept. 12, against the Battlefords North Stars — at Lloydminster’s new showcase arena, the Cenovus Energy Hub.
The Hub is the new home of the Bobcats, who are slated to open their regular season there Sept. 19 against the Fort McMurray Oil Barons.
While much fanfare has accompanied the end of an era for the Civic, the probable final game won’t go down in history as a classic. The crowd of a few hundred fans was smaller than the previous exhibition game and the hometown Bobcats couldn’t replicate the form they showed the night before in defeating the Pontiacs 5-2 at Bonnyville on Friday, Sept. 5.
“Unfortunately, we probably didn’t give the fans what they wanted to see for the last game at the Civic,” Bobcats coach Eric Labrosse said after Saturday’s matchup. “Our energy wasn’t there. We weren’t doing the plays we were supposed to do. We were overcomplicating everything and not getting pucks in deep. Way too many turnovers, and our power play didn’t click tonight. All in all, it was a hard game for a lot of guys.”
EL-TAHHAN NETS HISTORIC GOAL
The lone Lloydminster goal Saturday came from veteran forward Gus El-Tahhan, the Bobcats’ top scorer last winter with 23 goals and 50 points in 54 games.
Parked at the open right side of the Bonnyville net, El-Tahhan had ample room to beat Pontiacs goaltender Nathan Salisbury and even the score midway through the first period. The assists on what stands as the historic Bobcats’ final goal at the Civic (including exhibition play) went to prospects Connor Ewasuk and Dylan Karran.
After a summer home in the Maritimes, Bobcats’ forward Gus El-Tahhan has returned to Lloydminster for his final year of junior hockey. John MacNeil – Meridian Source
El-Tahhan, who joined the Bobcats last season after a year in the BCHL, reflected on the Civic’s 40-plus years of hockey highlights.
“There’s obviously a lot of memories that were built here, but we’re really excited to get in the new building and win some games there,” said the Fredericton, N.B., native. “But there’s definitely some memories that are going to be left behind in this barn.”
El-Tahhan agreed that, as nostalgic as it was, the final curtain call at the Civic was an underwhelming night for the Bobcats.
“I thought we were really sloppy throughout all periods,” he said. “Our older guys definitely could have been better today. I think our younger guys worked real hard. I thought we just weren’t connected tonight.
“It’s still pretty early and I think guys are still getting used to each other. But I think, over time, we’ll figure it out.”
THREE-POINT NIGHTS FOR TRIO
Bonnyville newcomer Gavin Harrison, a forward from Cold Lake, won’t forget his Lloyd visit. He scored two goals — one on the power play — and assisted on Max Pendy’s game-opening tally. Pendy and Christophe Lussier each picked up a goal and two assists.
Pontiacs’ prospect Salisbury went the distance and blocked 25 shots. The Bobcats’ young duo of Malakai Zwiers and Sam Madgett split the game and faced a combined 42 shots as each gave up two goals.
Bonnyville took a 3-1 lead into the final period, during which the Pontiacs outshot the Bobcats 14-4. Late in the second period, Lloyd veteran Kade Fendelet was handed a misconduct.
“What I see is that we’ve got to work on our details without the puck,” said Labrosse, the Bobcats’ new coach. “Our work ethic has to be much better than it is. So does our discipline. I wasn’t pleased with how undisciplined we were on certain penalties. And that’s it, we’ve got to move forward from here.
“I mean, it’s still training camp, it’s still exhibition games. There were a lot of different (line) combinations being thrown out there, so no one is used to playing with who they’re playing with, for the most part. We’ve got a lot of work to do this week.”
‘THEY OUTWORKED US’
After watching the Bobcats’ pre-season opener from the sidelines, Labrosse was behind the bench for the two games against Bonnyville. He didn’t believe the imminent move to the state-of-the-art Hub distracted his players in Saturday’s finale at the Civic.
“No, I don’t think the guys were distracted by that, at all,” he said. “I just think (the Pontiacs) outworked us. They outplayed us in all three zones. That’s all it was, they outworked us.”
At the same time, he cautioned that his team must not become overly caught up in all the hubbub about the Hub opening.
“Moving into that building is obviously exciting,” Labrosse said. “It’s a beautiful building. But, at the end of the day, we’re here to play hockey, so we can’t let the building distract us for the whole week.
“We have so much work to do as a group. We have to make sure that, next weekend, we’re executing more, that we’ve got more energy. Everything that’s got to be put together is where the focus should be, besides all the outside distractions of the rink and what not. That’s what I’m going to focus on with the boys.”
One of the boys, El-Tahhan, also stressed the importance of the Bobcats not getting too far ahead of themselves.
“Hockey is hockey,” he said. “At the end of the day, no matter where you play it, you’ve got to play it the right way. Obviously, playing in a facility like we’re going to have (in the Hub) is going to motivate the guys to play, but it comes down to the details and the systems, so that’s what we’ve got to focus on right now.”
Before moving to the Hub in time for practice Monday, the Bobcats had a long look at the Civic after Saturday’s game. After the crowd dispersed, the players ran and stretched in an extended post-game workout that preceded player/staff meetings.
“I think that’s just us taking care of our bodies,” said El-Tahhan, 20.
“It’s still pretty early on. We don’t want to get injured. That’s going to be a normal thing after games. We’re getting at that age where you’ve got to take care of your body, and that’s just what we thought was needed tonight.”
FUN, BUSY SUMMER
In preparation for his final year of junior hockey, El-Tahhan spent the summer at home in Fredericton, working and catching up with family and friends.
“My summer was good,” he said. “It’s good to get home and spend some time with family. It was pretty simple. I just played some hockey, worked out a bit (and) saw some buddies.
“I didn’t skate all of June, but towards the end of summer, I started to pick things up. It was fun.”
He also continued to gain entrepreneurial business experience while working with his family.
“Yeah, we own a couple of restaurants and a gas station,” El-Tahhan said. “I’m kind of learning how to run those.”
He returned to Lloydminster a couple of weeks ago and moved back in with his same billet family.
“They’ve been really good over the past year and I’m really excited to get to be back with them this year,” he said.
FIRST PRE-SEASON VICTORY
On the road last Friday, the Bobcats were victorious in Bonnyville on the strength of three power-play goals from veterans Fendelet, Matthew Hikida and Jack Ferguson. Rhett Lloyd and Luke Dooley also scored for Lloydminster. Ferguson and Quinn Smith each picked up two points.
Madgett, with 11 saves, and Kannen Kirkwood, with 14 stops, combined for the Lloyd victory as each allowed just one goal.
The Bobcats fired 29 shots at the Bonnyville duo of Kasen Mainberger and Andrew Gaulton.
Aidan Wilson, with two points, and Nathan Taylor scored for the Pontiacs.
A pair of current U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers, defenceman Aiden Harman and forward Connor Knickle, dressed for the Bobcats on Saturday.
BOBCATS’ EXHIBITION FINALE
After meeting each other in Lloydminster this Friday at 7 p.m., the Bobcats and the SJHL’s North Stars face off again Sunday (Sept. 14) in a 2 p.m. start at the Thunderchild Wellness Centre on Thunderchild First Nation, near Turtleford, Sask.
Sunday’s date on an NHL-sized ice surface is the final pre-season game for both Lloyd and Battlefords.
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