Bruins blitzed in Battle of North Durham

Roger Varley

With just three head-to-head meetings left in the regular season, the Port Perry LumberJacks have already won the Battle of North Durham, downing the Uxbridge Bruins in four straight games.

The Bruins were party to their own undoing by failing to take advantage of opportunities as the LumberJacks rode to a 5-3 win at the arena last Friday night. Those failings included an unsuccessful penalty shot, an inability to convert Port Perry penalties into goals and being unable to control the blue line while attacking the opponent's zone.

The LumberJacks opened the scoring early in the first period and scored a powerplay goal at the midway mark. Just prior to the second goal, Robby DiMaria made a brilliant save while the LumberJacks were on a power play. Such was the save that Port Perry's Cameron Marshall skated over to DiMaria to congratulate him. Tristan Vedovat-Leite scored Uxbridge's first goal late in the period after fanning on his first shot. Colin Glecoff and Jordan Bonner assisted.

In the second period, Uxbridge failed to cash in when the LumberJacks were handed a four-minute penalty, which was followed quickly by another two-minute penalty. Instead, the LumberJacks came back for their third goal near the midway mark. Ryan Shier reduced Port Perry's lead by one when he combined with Tanner Ryan and Tyler Laita as the period wound down. Two minutes later, Jack Kemp was unable to beat LumberJacks goalie Dan Giusti on a penalty shot. With only four minutes left in the period, the visitors scored two more.

Glecoff scored one more for Uxbridge in the third, assisted by Bonner and Shier, but it was too little, too late.

The Cosmos selected Nolan Winter as player of the game for Uxbridge and Johannes Kalm for Port Perry.

The Bruins are scheduled to visit Schomberg Thursday, Nov. 21, to face the Cougars before hosting the Georgina Ice at the arena tomorrow at 7:45 p.m. On Sunday, the Uxbridge squad travels down Reach Street to meet the LumberJacks again.