The Truro Bearcats didn’t come away empty-handed in their weekend games against Eastlink North competition.
They picked up a point and an understanding that you have to be ready for the drop of the puck and be prepared to play the full sixty minutes.
At the RECC on Friday, the Fredericton Red Wings got out of the gate quickly and by the ten-minute mark of the first period were up 3-1.
The Bearcats did find their game in the second frame, but it was all Red Wings in the final one.
It clearly wasn’t the Bearcat’s best effort. While the penalty-kill did its job, that special team was on the ice too much. The Bearcat flow was impeded.
Playing in spurts is never a plan worth repeating, and they paid the price.
Sunday, in Bouctouche, the Bearcats and hometown Steamers traded goals from start to finish. It was end-to-end.
The game came down to a Shootout and Truro lost that competition. The Bearcats played a much better game, staying to the end.
That game marked the quarter turn in the schedule. The team is tied with the Amherst Ramblers with identical 7-5-0-1 records, and 15 points, sitting behind Summerside (22 points) and Yarmouth (18 points) and four up on Pictou County.
For sure, the team has been an exciting one to watch. There’s plenty of fire power and they’re downright dangerous when on the same page.
They enter November play with a trip to New Glasgow on Thursday to face the Crushers. Truro won the only head-to-head matchup to date, back in September.
Saturday, the Summerside Capitals come to Truro. The teams split the two previous meetings.
The Capitals came into the week first overall in the MHL, with Miramichi,. Edmundston and West Kent just two points back.
The Standings are tight with little room for error.
The Boston Pizza Bearcat Player-of-the-Week (ending Oct. 29) is Sam Archibald. He returned after five missed games to score one and assist on another against Fredericton, then scored again against West Kent – great to have him back.