By Dale Cory
They are giant killers — but can’t seem to beat the bottom feeders.
Ponoka Stampeders head coach Randy Rook will be scratching his head over the Stamps’ road trip to southern Alberta Nov. 20 and 21.
Last weekend’s trip turned out to be reminiscent of what took place the previous weekend, during which the Stamps beat Central Division-leading Airdrie 3-2 at home — but could muster only a 5-5 tie against last place Banff on the road.
Most recently, Ponoka travelled to Coaldale Nov. 20, and came away with a single point after a 3-3 tie against the hometown Copperheads, who lead the South Division with a 9-3-2-1 record. But the next day in Medicine Hat, facing a team that had won just four of 14 games, the Stamps were beaten handily 5-1 by the hometown Cubs, who occupy last place in the South Division.
The one-point weekend has the Stamps now sitting at 4-9-2, leaving them fourth in the North Division.
Saturday in Coaldale
Ponoka got its road trip off to a great start when Tyler Poskus scored his third of the season just 47 seconds into the opening period.
The Stamps held that lead until a busy third period during which the teams went back and forth till the final buzzer.
After Coaldale tied the game at one, Kenton Siegle’s first tally of the season once again had Ponoka in the lead.
A pair of Copperheads’ goals had the home team ahead until Brandon Reush potted his first of the season for the 3-3 tie.
The difference in the game was Ponoka goalie Garret Montour, who stopped 36 of 39 shots. The Stamps managed just 13 shots on the Coaldale net.
Sunday in Medicine Hat
Earning a point on the road against a division leader should have given the Stamps some momentum.
But that wasn’t the case.
Nov. 21 in Medicine Hat, the hometown Cubs whipped the Stamps 5-1.
Ponoka fell to 4-9-2 with the loss, good for fourth place in the North Division, three points behind third place Stettler, with the Lightning holding a game in hand.
Next up… The Stamps will return to action Saturday when they host the Cochrane Generals at 8 p.m. at the Ponoka Culture and Recreation Complex.