It’s do-or-die time for Uxbridge Bruins

Roger Varley

UPDATE: Added Wednesday, April 15, 15:08, online only

The Uxbridge Bruins ended their season on Tuesday night with a 4-3 loss to the Frankford Huskies.

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Heading into the sixth game of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals Tuesday night, the Uxbridge Bruins faced a do-or-die situation. After the Bruins won the first game of the series 5-2, the Frankford Huskies put the Uxbridge squad on the brink of elimination by winning the next three games. That left the Bruins with the task of winning three in a row,

Back on April 7 at a jam-packed arena, the Bruins launched a blistering eight-minute attack on the Huskies net in the first period, but to no avail. The only goal of the game came in the middle of the second period when goalie Robbie DiMafia gave up a rebound and the Huskies put it in the net.

In Frankford two nights later, the teams traded goals late in the first, with the Huskies scoring on a power play and Jordan Fitger evening the score with a goal from a sharp angle. After trading goals in the second, with Fitger scoring again for the Bruins, the game went into overtime, with Frankford coming out on top.

Returning to the arena last Friday, the Bruins scored the only goal of the first period when Tyson Lotton one-timed a pass from the corner by Jack Kemp. The Huskies tied the score in the second but Jordan Bonner scored on a power play to give the Bruins the lead again. In the third, the Bruins ran into penalty trouble leading the visitors to score two power-play markers for the win.

On Sunday, the Bruins played poorly, despite facing elimination. Passing was poor, both in accuracy and reception, and the Bruins were less enthusiastic in handing out body checks. Nevertheless, they took a one-goal lead in the first on a power-play goal by Ryan Shier, assisted by Benson Moore. After the Huskies tied it up in the second, the Bruins took the lead again after Trent Nobes battled his way along the boards all the way down the ice, leading to Tucker Roberts scoring. Then Nobes scored himself, giving the Bruins a 3-1 win.

That brought them to Tuesday night. If the Bruins manage to tie the series up, the seventh game will be held in Frankford tonight (Thursday) at 8 p.m.

Bear pause: As the Schmalz Cup playoffs near the final four, the Bruins' Lotton stands fifth in point scoring, the only defenceman in the top 17, with 11 goals and 17 assists in 20 games. DiMaria is the standout goalie, leading the pack with a 1.61 goals-against average after 18 playoff games. Backup goalie Kevin Halloran has a GAA of just 1.0, but has played only two games.