By Robb Fenton
They waited until the last day of the regular season, but the Lloydminster Tanroc Bobcats are the best in Alberta.
With a 3-0 win over the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers, the Bobcats clinched first place in the AMHL standings heading into the playoffs, which they will compete in for the first time in their three-year history as the Tanroc Bobcats.
“It feels good, words really can’t explain it. I’ve never been here before, we’ve never made the playoffs, but being here now is just great. The team is coming together at the right time,” Bobcats veteran Derek Pfisterer said after the shutout win.
While they were close the past two seasons, this is the first time the Bobcats have made the playoffs and for Pfisterer, who has been around for all three years, the difference is clear.
“We’re just all so close together. We’re brothers on this team, we understand each other and because we’re close, it helps the results,” he said.
The ‘Cats finished with 52 points, tied with St. Albert, but because the Bobcats took three of four points from St. Albert during the season, they earn first place, something head coach Kyle Tapp is proud of and knows his team deserves.
“All the things came to fruition, the guys have worked really hard and earned everything they got,” Tapp said. “We didn’t compete as well Saturday, we weren’t happy with our compete level and we competed Sunday. We had two games to clinch, so it came down to the end and the boys should be proud of themselves.”
Tapp admitted his team was probably not on many people’s radar at the start of the season to finish first, but said the team has stepped up and proved everyone wrong.
“I’m sure if you asked anybody four months ago if we would be here, they’d say no, so we’re definitely proud,” Tapp said.
Anchored by two stellar goalies, a great group of defencemen and forwards that know their roles, the team was the talk of the league all season.
From opening the season up undefeated until Nov. 15, to coming within a goal of the Mac’s Tournament finals, the Bobcats have turned some heads and are hoping to continue that trend as they head into the post-season.
“I think the environment. This has become a job for these guys,” Tapp said of the difference between this year and the past two. “They finally realize for the first time being an elite hockey player is a lot like going to work. They’re in the gym everyday, they’re at yoga, we push them everyday at practice, there is not let up. They didn’t get a break and I think it shows in our consistency on the ice and our ability to execute.”
Tapp has introduced new systems and a number of unique plays which has caught the opposition off guard and that has worked for his team, who bought in to everything the first-year coach has said.
“We do some things on the ice that teams struggle with and ultimately it comes down to the fact these boys really want it and we outwork teams and out sacrifice teams, just the little details we do really, really well,” Tapp explained.
While Pfisterer has seen the ups and downs of the league, a first year Bobcat, Ambrose Firkus really likes what his team has achieved this year.
“It feels really good, we’ve worked hard all year and we deserve to be in first,” said Firkus, who had two points in Sunday’s win. “We just become more of a team every day. We come to the rink and play as a team, that’s the reason for our success.”
The Bobcats, who finished with a record of 23-6-6, will now have a first round bye in the playoffs and await their second round opponent.