Roger Varley
Halloween weekend was somewhat scary for the Uxbridge Bruins as they lost back-to-back games in the battle for first place in the PJHL's Orr Division.
Last Friday, the Bruins hosted the league-leading Clarington Eagles at the arena and came out at the wrong end of a 4-2 score. The first period was hotly contested, with only one penalty and no scoring, although Clarington had the edge on offence.
Check out the Uxbridge Bruins new website here!
The Eagles scored their first just 40 seconds into the second period, but the Bruins came back with a power-play marker by captain Ryan Shier near the midway mark. Tyson Lotton and Evan Gilbert earned assists.
Defenceman Malcolm Robin gave Uxbridge the lead early in the third with a shot from the blueline, with Shier and Darin Bain assisting. A Clarington power play erased the lead three minutes later and that was followed up with two more goals, including another power-play marker.
The Cosmos named Shier as player of the game for Uxbridge and gave the nod to Charlie Key of the Eagles.
Two days later, the Uxbridge squad travelled down Reach Street to meet their archrivals, the Port Perry LumberJacks and blew a three-goal lead with a double penalty.
The Bruins scored in the first minute of the game, courtesy of Gilbert and Tucker Roberts. Ten minutes later, Danny Thomakos made it 2-0, assisted by Roberts and Lotton, and Uxbridge closed out the period with Kyle Butt's shot from the point on a power play. Once again, Lotton and Roberts assisted.
In the second period, the LumberJacks scored their first goal. Goalie Robbie DiMaria stopped the initial shot but gave up a rebound. In the next minute, the Bruins picked up two penalties, giving Port Perry a two-man advantage for 80 seconds and leading to two more LumberJacks goals.
Butt gave the Bruins the lead once more in the third period, but then the LumberJacks scored four more goals, including a short-handed marker and an empty-netter.
Uxbridge now sits in second place in the seven-team division, six points behind the Eagles and one point ahead of the LumberJacks. They see action tonight (Thursday) in Schomberg against the Cougars and return to the arena tomorrow at 7:45 p.m. to face the Georgina Ice.