The Truro Bearcats and Yarmouth Mariners split their home and home matchups over the weekend.
Friday in Yarmouth, they played straight up hockey over the first two periods before the Mariners blew the Bearcats out of the water with four unanswered third period goals.
Truro fired 39 shots Yarmouth’s way, but Austin Hoyt was the only Bearcat to dent the twines in the 6-1 loss, Yarmouth’s first win in five outings with this opponent.
Back in Truro, on Sunday, the Mariners jumped to a two-goal lead before the Bearcats found a reply. Truro fought back to eventually tie things up on Jayden Connor’s powerplay goal before Yarmouth forced OT.
Tristan St. Gelais got the winner late in OT to give the Bearcats a well earned 4-3 win. This was a solid game from both sides, with solid hits and end-to-end rushes.
Competition in the Eastlink South Division is only going to get more intense in the drive toward the playoffs. It should be a fun time.
The MHL Trade Deadline is set for Saturday, January 10. Already teams have been adjusting rosters, in most cases, to make things more promising.
The Bearcats have been active, adding a pair of assets before last weekend’s action. The Bearcats signed Jace Evans (17) and acquired the rights to Antoine Fontaine (19).
Evans, a Dartmouth native, was a 2024 Bearcat and Rouyn-Noranda draft pick. He had two productive seasons with the Steele U-18 Subaru. He played 20 games with the Huskies before debuting with Truro in Sunday’s game.
Fontaine is in his third Moosehead season. Truro acquired his playing rights from Grand Falls. The Granby, QC native has experienced playing time in U18 and junior hockey with a number of current Bearcats.
The Bearcats entered this week first overall in the MHL with 51 points, followed in the South Division by Summerside (48), Amherst (39), Pictou County (37), Yarmouth (33) and Valley with 19 points.
Truro’s lone game of the week will feature a visit from the Crushers this coming Sunday, 7:00 pm at the RECC. The Bearcats have won four of the five previous meetings.