The race is on

If it wasn’t for bad luck there would have been no luck at all.

It wasn’t exactly that, but the Truro Bearcats were strong in all areas except in the area that matters most – scoring goals.

Territorially the Bearcats played as a group as they were asked to play. Big saves and unfriendly goal posts prevented the team from finding the way.

The Valley Wildcats are credited with a solid read win. Capitalizing on opportunities and playing prevent hockey got the job done.

This was a big game and the team was disappointed with the home-ice loss. There are more big games to come.

The players must remain focused and dig in. Things can change quickly game-to-game and period- to- period. They’re looking for the positive ones.

Coming into the week, the Bearcats are in fourth spot, one point ahead of the Wildcats and Crushers. Not much breathing room there.

The race for that final playoff spot is wide open and unlike most years when a team or two are out of the running. This is a legitimate race.

This week the Bearcats are preparing for more tough competition. Tonight they’re in Bridgewater (7 p.m.) to meet the Lumberjacks, then return to the RECC for a 7 p.m. game against the Summerside Capitals on Friday.

The Lumberjacks have been an upper echelon team in the Eastlink South Division all season and possess two wins over the Bearcats. Tonight’s is the first of four remaining encounters between the two teams.

The North Division’s secondplace Summerside Capitals added three players at the trade deadline to bolster a lineup already containing the MHL’S top scorers.

This is tough competition. The Bearcats’ best chance is to play the way they did last Friday.

The effort is there. The desire is there. Perhaps they’re just squeezing the sticks to hard.

For sure, things remain wide open.