Shaky start to the season for Bruins
Roger Varley
With 13 new faces in the lineup this season, it likely will take some time for the Uxbridge Bruins to gel as a team, but, even so, the home squad is off to a shaky start.
In the pre-season Alliston tourney, the Bruins won only one of four games. For the regular 2024-25 season, the Bruins have started with two losses.
The first loss came last Friday in Keswick when the Bruins lost 4-3 to the Georgia Ice in overtime. Luke Kemp opened the scoring in the first, with Tanney Ryan and Jaxon Koehler adding assists. The Ice tied it early in the second and the teams then traded goals, with Koehler scoring for Uxbridge, assisted by Evan Gilbert and Liam Peterson.
The Bruins played the Clarington Eagles at their home opener last Saturday night. Photo by John Cavers
The teams again traded goals in the third. Lucas Marshall gave the Bruins their third lead of the game, with Matt Morse and Will Stratos credited with assists, but Georgina tied the score as the period wound down. Six minutes into overtime, the Ice notched the winner. Andrew Claughton manned the net for the first two periods before being relieved by Eamon Callaghan.
The following night, the Bruins hosted the Clarington Eagles at the arena and held the Orr division champions scoreless during the first two periods. Unfortunately for the Bruins, apparent goals were disallowed in both the first and second periods because the net was off the posts. The Bruins had a scary moment in the first when Hayden Anderson went heavily into the boards after being tripped, but he returned to action in the second.
Gilbert had a good opportunity in the second when he picked up a loose puck and raced in on the Clarington net, but failed to score.
But then came the third period, which saw the Eagles score five unanswered goals, including a power-play marker.
The Cosmos selected Ryan of the Bruins and Nate Burelle of the Eagles as players of the game. Attendance was just over 350.
The Bruins will be back in action tomorrow (Friday) night at the arena at 7:45 p.m., when they host the Little Britain Merchants. On Sunday, the Bruins head down Reach Street to meet their arch-rivals, the Port Perry LumberJacks, at 2:25 p.m.
Bear pause: A planned pre-game ceremony to honour Cam Stewart, the team president who died unexpectedly earlier this year, was postponed until a later date.