The first impression was a good one.
That was the general reaction of the Bearcat faithful exiting the RECC convincing win over Pictou County in the Bearcat Home Opener last Friday.
They saw a team committed to a deep forecheck, suffocating by time. It’s a given you enhance your chances when you spend most of the time in the opposition’s end.
They also saw a lot of new faces, whether experienced acquisitions or fresh from the Midget ranks, who bought into the Bearcat way of doing things.
It usually takes some time for this to happen, but it appears this group is ahead of the game. That’s a positive.
One game, however, doesn’t make a season. Tests, some a whole lot bigger, are to come, and likely soon.
The Bearcats were one-for -six on the powerplay. For sure, that’s one area to receive attention, probably as this is written.
That’s just one of the coachables coming out of this win. It’s just part of growing and getting better.
This week the Bearcats play a pair of back-to-back games, Friday in Bridgewater to face the South Shore Lumberjacks, then home at the RECC to face the Valley Wildcats.
The Lumberjacks opened strong with a win in Pictou County and a victory over Campbellton at home. That’s following a last-place finish in regular season play last year.
It would appear the Lumberjack re-build is well underway. This matchup should be a good one.
The Valley Wildcats were relatively quiet the last two Trade Deadlines. They kept their assets and are looking to be noticed a big way this year.
The Wildcat roster has a load of twenty-year-old returnees. Many of their off-season acquisitions are experienced and big.
All games pose their challenges. This crop of Bearcats is ready to meet them.
All teams on the CJHL were saddened to hear of the cancellation of the World Junior “A” Challenge scheduled for December in Cornwall, ON, due to the ongoing Covid – 19 pandemic.