Week Two for the Truro Bearcats was a very productive one, picking up a pair of home wins before suffering an OT loss.
Last Thursday, the Yarmouth Mariners and Bearcats played dead even except in the scoring department. Truro scored one in the second, then two in the third, with no reply from the Mariners.
Saturday, the visiting Amherst Ramblers scored four first period goals, including three on the powerplay. The Bearcats shut them down the rest of the way enroute to a dramatic 6-4 come-from behind victory.
Sunday, in Bouctouche, the Bearcats scored four in the second period to take a lead, only to see the West Kent Steamers force OT, then win 5-4.
Lots of positives coming out of that series of games. Goalie, Louca Connolly picked up his second win and first MHL shutout. Goalie, Sam Berthiume (15, Stellarton), struggled in his opening period of junior Hockey before responding with his first MHL win.
Offensively, forward Callum Aucoin (Hammonds Plains, 19) contributed a goal in each of the three games. A 2022 Bearcat and Cape Breton Eagle draft pick, he played a full season with the Eagles before splitting last year between Cape Breton and the Halifax Mooseheads.
Twenty-year-old Eli Baillargeon (Shefford, QC) picked up four goals, including three on the powerplay. He spent three seasons with the Shawinigan Cataractes before arriving in Truro in January.
In 19 Bearcat games last year, he scored 12 and assisted on 14 others while contributing a dozen points in 10 playoff games. His scoring and physicality can make a difference.
Team Captain, Liam Welsh (20, Halifax) picked up his first goal of the season Saturday. It proved to be the winner in the Amherst game. He added a pair Sunday as well.
Developing a powerplay takes time, however, the Bearcats have put up good stats to date, operating at a 30.4% efficiency.
The Penalty Kill is getting tested, perhaps too much. At 64%, it’s well below Bearcat standards. In the loss Sunday, four of the five Steamer’s goals came on the powerplay.
The Bearcats have another three games this week. The Chaleur Lightning, formerly the Fredericton Red Wings, are at the RECC Thursday; Friday, the Bearcats are in Summerside; then, Truro faces Pictou County at the RECC on Sunday (7:00) to wrap up the September schedule.