John Wilmshurst | Special to the Fitzhugh
Last weekend, the Jasper Bantam Bearcats played a trio of games with an illness-shortened bench, but no shortage of heart.
The trifecta started Friday night at home against Edson, picked up on the road in Devon on Saturday and finished off in Vegreville on Sunday.
Friday night was the Sebastian Golla show, as the league leading scorer fired up his team and lit up the Edson Sabres’ goaltender with a five-point performance.
It didn’t hurt that Golla’s tenacious winger, Liam Crozier, was buzzing all game.
Liam assisted on two of Golla’s markers, including a brilliant third period tap and screen play on Jasper’s fourth goal.
Liam’s brother Ty, normally a forward was on the blueline all weekend, ably filling a defensive absence.
Friday night’s game was also huge for two other Bearcats.
Callum Campbell, was called up from PeeWee and made his presence felt around the net by picking up an assist on Jasper’s third goal.
And Jasper netminder Donovan Fawcett who made 24 big saves and looked six foot three early in the game and again in the critical final moments.
Donny was huge.
The game was tied at two after 20 minutes, tied at three after 40, so it was up to Tanner Carlton who sealed the deal with three minutes to play, burying the goal that would give Jasper a five to four lead that they would not relinquish.
A key juncture of this game came near the end of the first period when Jasper killed off a five on three penalty for a minute and a half with both Carlton and Golla in the box.
This was a golden opportunity for Edson, but the entire Bearcat squad was equal to the challenge.
Kudos also to Carlton for attempting a “Gary Hilworth” goal that he almost pulled off.
If you don’t know what that is, ask any hockey-head in Jasper.
The Bearcats jumped out to a quick three-goal lead in Devon on Saturday with Liam, Carlton and Owen Kearnan all scoring before the ice was dry.
Kearnan is in his 11th year of hockey, which is a feat for a kid from a skiing family.
His close friends got him in the game, and his skills on the powerplay, a deadly one-timer and his rapid adjustment to the physical play of Bantam hockey have kept him there.
Kearnan’s goal on Saturday, Jasper’s third, would be enough to seal the victory for the Bearcats as they skated off with a 7 to 2 victory against Devon.
Dexter Fawcett, Kalen Sawchuk, Rowan Koss and even netminder Donny all came up with helpers at critical times to make this game a walk-off for the Bearcats.
Game three on Sunday in Vegreville pitted our Bearcats against the Wranglers, the team atop the league standings.
Jasper dominated in the early going, pinning Vegreville in their own zone with persistent forechecking and an aggressive cycle.
Eleven minutes in, this bore fruit when Michael Hayashi, Kearnan and Golla combined to give the Bearcats a one goal lead.
But this seemed to ignite the Wranglers, who pressed hard in the later stages of the opening frame.
Were it not for Donny’s heroics in net, robbing Vegreville twice on point blank shots, the Wranglers would have surged ahead.
As it was, Vegreville managed one to tie the game at one after the first period.
Jasper scored twice in the second period, but so did Vegreville.
Nothing decided at the end of 40 minutes. With even a shorter bench, you could tell that Jasper was tiring.
Mistakes were being made just due to fatigue, and the Wranglers were taking advantage.
The third period was a wild one.
Vegreville took their first lead of the game six minutes in, but Jasper still had battle.
Mac Carmichael had some great looks but just couldn’t bury.
With four minutes to play Vegreville jumped out to a two goal lead, and the exhausted Bearcats looked all but defeated.
But Kearnan scored with a minute to play, and it was game on.
Coach Koss summoned Donny to the bench, and with the extra attacker, it was a full-court-press.
Alas, the buzzer sounded before Jasper could tie it, handing the spent Bearcats their first loss in five games.
The Bearcats’ next home game is this Saturday, 12:15 p.m. against the CR Knights. I’ll see you in the stands.
