By Robb Fenton

It was the first taste of struggles for the Lloydminster Tanroc Bobcats this weekend, but impressively, it took until the middle of December for it to happen.
The Bobcats were in tough, playing three games in three days and coming away with only one point.
Friday night it was a 1-0 loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a game played at the Common Wealth Centre, which was followed up by travelling to Medicine Hat the next day and earning a 3-3 tie and the weekend, unfortunately, was finished off by a 4-1 loss to the Flames in Calgary.
“We were against the eight-ball before we started. We had to play Lethbridge on a smaller rink which definitely played into their favour, being a big physical team. We got banged up pretty good there,” Bobcats coach Kyle Tapp said. “Then we had to travel to Med Hat and they are another big physical team in a small rink. On Sunday, we had dead legs and had to play the (Calgary) Flames on an Olympic size rink and they are really quick and really skilled and with us being short and three games on the weekend, it was tough, but the guys battled hard and we learned a lot about ourselves.”
Tapp noted he didn’t think his team overlooked any of the opponents they played on the weekend, but said with everyone gunning for the best team in the province, they can’t afford to take a shift off in any game.
“These guys have never been in first before until this year, so what they are learning now is; how difficult it was for us to get to first, it’s going to be twice as hard to stay at the top,” he said.
With the Mac’s Tournament just over two weeks away, three games in three days was a tune-up for the schedule they will likely face when they head down to Calgary.
“That’s how the coaches got the guys to approach, but it was definitely three really good teams in three nights and it is something we’ll have to get used to at the Mac’s, minus the travel,” Tapp explained.
While it is no excuse, Tapp knows a lot of the teams in the AMHL slow down after being invited to the Mac’s.
The key for the Bobcats is to finish 2009 strong, have a strong tournament and then finish the second half of the season top of the league so they can make a run at an AMHL title.
“It’s been a bit of a let down since we found out we were in. We pushed so hard just to get there, it was a motivating factor for us and there has been a small let down since then, which is common place for teams in this league,” Tapp said. “As much as we focussed on the tournament itself, we want to do well in playoffs and make a national championship run too.”
The team still sits tied for first place in the league and although they had a tough weekend, have had an outstanding first half.
To be successful in the final three games, in the Mac’s and in the second half of the season, it’s clear what the team needs to do.
“We have to get back to positive habits and taking care of little details and preparations before the game,” Tapp said.
The Bobcats have another busy stretch, as they play three games in the next week.
The ‘Cats (13-3-4) head to Sherwood Park to take on the Kings (6-10-6) Thursday, before wrapping up 2009 with a pair of home games, Saturday in a first place showdown against the St. Albert Raiders (13-4-4) and Wednesday against the SSAC Athletics (10-7-4).
Saturday’s game is 7 p.m. and Wednesday’s puck drop is 3 p.m., both at the Civic Centre.