DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard
The Uxbridge Bruins had another up-and-down weekend, bouncing back from a Friday night loss to score a win over Little Britain the following night.
Trekking to Keswick, for a rare Friday night game away from the Bear Den, on Friday, Oct. 27th, the Bruins quickly took the lead. Anthony Lamanna scored just 25 seconds into the action, when he collected a cross-ice pass from Jake Rigillo and flew into the offensive zone, leaving the Ice goalie frozen, as he connected on a wrist shot over his blocker side. However, the Ice would storm back with a pair of goals, to take a 2-1 lead. Then, shortly after the midway point of the first period, Noah Button evened the score, on a spectacular lacrosse-style goal, commonly known in hockey circles as a “Michigan goal”. On the play, a shot from the blue line bounced to the left of the Georgina goalie, when Button raced past two defenders to scoop up the puck on the blade of his stick and carried it around the back of the net, slipping the puck past the right shoulder of the netminder.
Early in the second period, Lamanna’s second goal of the night restored Uxbridge’s lead, in a spectacular individual effort, when he corralled a loose puck and scored on a breakaway. However, the Ice would quickly even the score once again, before Nolan Winter scored, to put Uxbridge back ahead by a score of 4-3, heading into the third period.
The third period saw the Bruins surrender three consecutive goals, as the Ice roared back to scare up a 6-4 win, in the special October 31st-themed game, which featured face painting, as well as a costume contest.
The Bruins would quickly have an opportunity to bounce back from the defeat, as they were back on the road on Saturday night, when they made the trek to Little Britain to tangle with the Merchants. It would prove to be a tough taskwith the Little Britain lineup, featuring five former Bruins, eager to exact revenge on their former team.
The Merchants would channel their enthusiasm in the early stages of the game, taking a 1-0 lead, just over three minutes into the fray. However, the Bruins would step up their defensive game afterwards and late in the frame. Ty Roberts raced to a loose puck and beat the Little Britain netminder over his blocker, to knot the score 1-1 through 20 minutes of play.
Roberts would waste little time in the second period, giving Uxbridge a 2-1 lead, just 11 seconds into the middle frame, assisted by Lucas Marshall. However, less than two minutes later, former Bruin Brando Mancia, sent to Little Britain in the recent trade for Owen Shier, scored to tie the game.
With Uxbridge on the powerplay, almost five minutes later, Gavin Graham fought through heavy traffic in front of the Shopkeepers’ net, to slam in a loose puck, as the Bruins clawed their way back into a 3-2 lead.
In the third period, Quinn Meek’s team-leading 10th goal of the season gave the Bruins some breathing room, giving Uxbridge a two-goal lead.
Yet, the Merchants, would not close up shop without a fight, and, scored a late goal, with their goalie on the bench and six attackers on the ice, as the Bruins were down to four with a man in the penalty box. However, that would be as close as the Merchants would get, as Button added a late empty-net goal, to seal a 5-3 Uxbridge victory. Matthew Czalij was busy in his debut in goal for the Bruins, turning aside 44 shots to pick up the win.
Loose Pucks:
- Former Bruin, Todd Winder has made an immediate impact with his new team in Denmark, the Frederikshavn White Hawks. Through 16 games this season, the brother of Bruins centre, Travis Winder is leading the team in scoring as of press time, with 16 points (2 goals and 14 assists).
- The Bruins will be back at the Bear Den, on Friday, Nov. 3rd, with the Georgina Ice visiting Uxbridge, for a 7:45 p.m. match-up.
- On Sunday evening, the Bruins are back in Little Britain, to square off against the Merchants, at 7 p.m.