Win and loss reduces point spread for Bruins

Roger Varley

With a win and a loss on the weekend, the Uxbridge Bruins managed to stay atop the PJHL's Orr Division, but their lead has been reduced to two points.

The loss came on Friday night at the arena when the Clarington Eagles downed the Bruins 5-2. The Eagles outplayed the Bruins in the first period and scored their first goal just past the halfway mark. The visitors staged a prolonged attack on the Bruins net as the period wound down, but goalie Kevin Halloran came up with several saves on close-in shots. However, the period ended with two Bruins in the penalty box.

Those penalties led to Clarington scoring a power-play goal just 20 seconds into the stanza. The Bruins replied with their own power-play marker courtesy of Colin Glecoff, assisted by Ryan Shier and Isaac Mengers. After Clarington restored their two-goal lead, Luke Kemp scored Uxbridge's second power-play goal, assisted by Evan Gilbert and Darin Bain.

Thirty seconds into the final period, Clarington put the puck in the net again but the officials disallowed the goal. However, the Eagles scored again just half a minute later. Uxbridge pulled the goalie with three minutes left, leading to the Eagles scoring an empty netter.

The Cosmos named Cameron Meek as player of the game for the Bruins and gave the nod to Gianluca Meli of the Eagles.

On Sunday, the Bruins travelled down Reach Street to meet the Port Perry LumberJacks and erased Friday's loss by defeating their archrivals 6-2. Leading the Bruins' offence were Bain with two goals and an assist and Gilbert with a goal and two assists.

The LumberJacks started the scoring just 26 seconds after the opening whistle, but Jack Kemp evened the score, assisted byTanner Ryan.

Ryan put the Bruins ahead with a short-handed goal in the second period, which was followed by Bain's first goal, assisted by Devin Hollands.

Bain scored his second goal on a power play midway through the third period, with Gilbert and Shier picking up assists. The LumberJacks responded quickly but it was too little too late as the Bruins went on to score two more. Luke Kemp potted the first, assisted by Gilbe,rt and Gilbert finished the scoring, with newcomer Danny Thomakos and Bain credited with assists.

With 22 games under their belt, the Bruins stand in first place with an 18-4-0 record for 36 points. The Georgina Ice are two points behind with a 17-5-0 record, while Clarington and Port Perry remain in the hunt with 29 and 27 points respectively.

The Bruins return to action tomorrow (Friday) night at the arena at 7:45 p.m. and then it's back to Port Perry on Sunday afternoon.