Be ready to respond

The dreaded two-goal lead raised its ugly head again last weekend.

Actually, it’s been three consecutive games where the Bearcats entered the final period with such a dangerous cushion, again proving there is no such thing as a safe lead.

In Saturday’s game, the Bearcats and Crushers traded chances in the opening frame, when flow was interrupted by penalties, on both sides.

The Bearcats appeared to take control with a pair of goals in the middle frame; however, it set the stage for a repeat performance of one kind or another.

Credit the Crushers for staying the course, picking up their first goal late in the game, and a second 22 seconds later. They did their jobs; the Bearcats didn’t quite do theirs. The decision was rendered in OT and the victors celebrated.

For sure, it was a tough loss in a game the Bearcats had every right to win. It was the “next shift” which cut deeply.

The shift after a goal, a hockey fight, a penalty, whatever, is always big. Things happen and it’s how you react that matters.

The Bearcats enter the week in fifth spot, a bit further away from fourth. There’s only one thing that can remedy that – win games.

This week the Bearcats prepare for two games. Friday, the Yarmouth Mariners are in town for a 7 p.m. start at the RECC. Sunday, at 6 p.m., the team will be in Berwick to face the Valley Wildcats.

The Mariners, MHL defending champs, come to town as the top team in the division and sitting on a 6-4 record over their last 10 games.

This will be the fourth meeting of these teams, the first three in Yarmouth, all Mariner wins. Well, the Bearcats know what they have to do.

The Wildcats, the division’s cellar dwellers, have a 2-7-1 record over their last 10 games. Again, the Bearcats know what they have to do.

All teams enter games with anticipation of doing well and winning. The decision goes to the team, usually, which does the most things right.

Let’s get things right.