The bid for a three-peat has reached the final stage for the Carstar Okotoks Bisons.
Okotoks booked its spot in the Heritage Junior Hockey League final for a third consecutive playoff following a decisive 7-0 shutout over the Rocky Rams Saturday night at the Murray Arena to complete a three-game sweep of the third round series.
“Being an older guy coaching around, I definitely don’t take it for granted because I know those days are few and far between and you need to enjoy it,” said Bisons head coach Brad Cobb. “Hopefully we’ll bring the players in next week and get them refocused and not to take it for granted and embrace the situation and opportunity because you never know when it’s going to happen again.
“Really looking forward to going back to the big dance and hopefully we can do it again.”
In Game 3, Okotoks took the series clincher over with a five-goal middle stanza.
Seven different scorers lit the lamp with Jady Shigehiro’s first period shorthanded marker followed up by second frame goals from Scott Brown, Easton Dean, Nolan Smith, Trevor Bonham and Seamus Garagan. Daniel Tainton added an insurance tally in the final 20 minutes.
Grady Nicholas made 11 saves for his first shutout of the postseason and sixth win.
“It was just outworking the other team every shift and getting shots on goal,” said Tainton. “Outshooting them every single game by a lot really helped us out, every game we outplayed them and showed we were the better team.
“I think they knew that coming into the third game.”
Okotoks outshot the visitors 76-11 and posted an impressive 190 shots in the series and the goals followed.
“We’ve really concentrated the last three weeks of the season, in practice especially, with shot selection,” Cobb said. “Making sure that we’re hitting nets and putting pucks on net and having those layers.
“It seems to be paying off and we’re starting to score more goals that way.”
Okotoks outscored Rocky 18-3 in the series with the Rams missing their top sniper and the HJHL regular season MVP Reid Christensen to injury in Game 1 of the set.
“That really hurt them,” Cobb said. “He drives the ship over there for them.”
Okotoks took the series opener 5-2 with Tainton posting a natural hat trick. The Bisons took their show on the road with a convincing 6-1 triumph on Friday night in Rocky Mountain House.
Tainton, who scored five goals in the series, leads the HJHL with six playoff goals.
“He’s stepped up his game,” Cobb said. “He’s a big body that moves really well and when he’s engaged and playing, he can do those things and he’s just going to those tough areas of the ice, going to the net and he’s getting rewarded.”
Okotoks’ opponent in the league final is still to be determined.
The Sylvan Lake Wranglers lead the Medicine Hat Cubs 2-1 in the other best-of-five semifinal with Game 4 Sunday evening in central Alberta.
“It means a lot actually,” Tainton said. “For all of the guys that are coming back, I don’t know if all of the 20s are going to play next year, some 19s who knows, so I think this is the last run and we all know that.
“We’re just going to give it our all and it’s pretty cool to go for a three-peat.”
For more information, go to okotoksbisons.com.
