By Robb Fenton
The Lloydminster Baker Hughes Bobcats have found the recipe for success and they keep proving it game in, game out.
The Bobcats improved their record to 16-12-2 on Sunday with a 6-3 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers in a game played in Wainwright.
The ‘Cats are now a perfect 6-0-0 in the new year, putting them in sole possession of third place in the North Division with just four games remaining.
Bobcats head coach Eric Morrissette said it’s been the same thing every time out that has led them to success.
“We just had a team effort, all lines contribute. Jetlan (Houcher) had three goals which doesn’t hurt. We scored twice on the power play and it was just a team effort,” he said Tuesday at practice.
Balance, depth and everyone playing their role are three terms that define the Bobcats.
While the team’s top line continues to tear up the league, it’s timely goals, big saves and sacrificing for the team that has stood out to Morrissette.
“Ultimately, going into the playoffs, if your top players get cancelled out, it’s going to come down to your other players stepping up and playing a role and right now they are,” Morrissette said. “Nick Fountain scored again, his line scored two goals against Med Hat. We’ve been doing a pretty good job of staying out of the penalty box and if we are getting penalties, we’ve done a good job of killing them off.”
It may be hard to see, or believe that a big reason for the Bobcats’ success has been the goaltending because the team currently leads the North Division in goals for, but Morrissette said his goalies have been great when they’ve needed to be and given the team confidence to play their style.
“They’ve kept us in every game. That’s all we can ask, we just have to continue to play the way we’re playing now,” he said.
Bobcats forward Kolten Anderson, who has battled injuries this season, said a lot of the players were pumped up to be playing a home game in Wainwright.
“I think there was a lot of excitement going into the game because of the hometown Wainwright kids had all their fans and family out to watch. I think that had a big effect on them,” Anderson said.
Anderson echoed what his coach had been saying about a total team effort and said getting goals from Houcher, some big saves from Cade Spencer and some key plays from everyone else was a big reason they won Sunday.
“The boys played hard, we all came together. Jetlan obviously helped us out. Cade has been playing really well, too,” Anderson noted.
Morrissette admitted that they haven’t changed a ton since the start of the season other than a few changes and some slight adjustments, but he did note that the team is coming together, building great chemistry and has the right attitude when they’re at the rink, for practices or games.
“I think it’s coming down to a strong belief in the dressing room of what they’re capable of doing. It’s not something as a coaching staff, that we have some magic wand and we waved it and all this stuff is starting to go our way,” he said. “As a team they’ve looked at themselves and said, ‘We can do this.’ There is a strong belief in what they can do as a team and they’re excited as a group.”
The Bobcats now have some time off with an off weekend coming up, followed by the All-Star Game, they won’t be in action again until Feb. 11.
Check next week’s Source for more on the three players who are playing in the AMHL All-Star Game.