Bruins go on a tear for two wins
Roger Varley
Displaying one of their best team efforts so far this season, the Uxbridge Bruins skinned the Schomberg Cougars 7-0 in front of a small crowd at the arena last Friday night. Two days later, they bombarded the opponent's net as they downed the Caledon Golden Hawks 5-2 for two wins in a row.
Just five minutes into Friday night's game, Tanner Ryan scored what proved to be the winning goal, assisted by Jack Kemp and Colin Glecoff. The Bruins maintained constant pressure on the Schomberg zone, ending the period with a 2-0 lead after a goal by Nolan Winter, assisted by Evan Gilbert and Tyler Laita.
The Bruins continued the pressure in the second period, with Tristan Vedovat-Leite scoring one minute into the stanza. Assists went to Jake Rigillo and Luke Kemp. At the midway mark, Tom Nitsopoulos gave the Bruins a four-goal lead, with Jordan Bonner and Winter given assists. As the period wound down, Ryan scored his second of the night, assisted by Laita and Jack Kemp.
However, Ryan was not done yet. With Schomberg inexplicably pulling their goalie at the start of the third period, Ryan notched a short-handed empty netter at the 18:15 mark for a hat-trick. Assists went to Laita and Vedovat-Leite. And so it remained until the last 50 seconds when Hayden Anderson scored on the power play, assisted by Liam Petersson and Charlie Wesholowski.
The Cosmos selected newcomer Robby DiMaria, making his first appearance in goal for the Bruins, as the Uxbridge player of the game and picked Anthony Nascimento for the Cougars,
On Sunday, the Bruins travelled west to Caledon, where they launched a blistering attack, firing 67 shots at Caledon goalie Mason Milone. The Golden Hawks took an early lead with a power-play goal in the first, but Ryan responded with his own power-play marker a couple of minutes later, assisted by Jack Kemp and Bonner. Just 18 seconds later, Vedovat-Leite gave the Bruins the lead, assisted by Anderson and Lucas Marshall.
Just 41 seconds into the second period, Jack Kemp scored Uxbridge's second power-play goal of the game, assisted by Ryan and Glecoff. Rigillo followed that in short order with a short-handed goal, assisted by Ryan.
Jaxon Koehler finished off the Bruins' scoring early in the third, assisted by Marshall and Vedovat-Leite, while Caledon managed to notch a last goal at the midway mark.
Despite the wins, the Bruins remain in sixth place in the seven-team Orr Division, while Caledon struggles in last place with only one win in 15 games.
The Bruins are to meet the league-leading Clarington Eagles in Bowmanville tonight (Thursday) before hosting the Georgina Ice at the arena Friday at 7:45 p.m.
Bear pause: With four goals and two assists over the weekend, Ryan leads the team in points. In just 12 games, Ryan has scored 11 goals and added nine assists for a total of 20 points so far.
In two home games this season, the Bruins have put gaping holes in the boards, leading to delays while the holes were fixed. On Friday, they changed tactics and hit one of the lights over the ice in the second period, leaving it dangling overhead. After conferring with the coaches, the officials deemed there was no danger to the players and play continued.