Bearcats post wins
Truro shades Crushers, downs Valley in shootout
In two very close outings on the weekend, the Bearcats took advantage of home ice and put to wins on the board.
The Truro Bearcats rang up two close wins on the weekend, edging the Pictou County Weeks Crushers 2-1 Friday, then downing the Valley Wildcats 4-3 in a shootout Saturday at the RECC.
After a season-opening loss to Yarmouth, the Bearcats (3-1) have gone undefeated in three outings in the Maritime Junior Hockey League. The Mariners (4-0) and Amherst Ramblers (3-0) sit atop the highly competitive Eastlink South Division, where five of the six teams – Valley being the only exception – have .500 or better records. By contrast, in the North Division, Edmundston Blizzard (4-0) remain undefeated at this early point in the season, however, none of the other five teams is better than .500.
Friday, Truro surrendered a goal in the first period against the Crushers but scored in each of the second and third periods for the victory. Cameron MacLeod notched the winner with just under a minute remaining in regulation time, assisted by Tyler Pyke and Daniel Little.
Jack Keough had the other Truro marker from Cameron MacLeod and Jack McGovern. Donovan Rehill had the lone goal for Pictou.
Netminder Kevin Resop turned aside 23 of 24 Crusher shots for the win. Former Bearcat goalie Luke Melanson faced 27 Truro shots.
A pair of goals just over a minute apart in the first period Saturday by Bearcats’ captain Campbell Pickard put Truro out in front 2-0 early. However, the Wildcats applied pressure and scored twice before the end of the period, with both markers coming from Andrew Picot.
After a scoreless second, Karter Renouf tallied on the power play at 5:15 to put the Bearcats ahead 3-2. Valley replied with a powerplay marker of their own by Matt Hermary at 13:46, tying it once again at 3-3.
After a scoreless overtime, the teams went to the shootout, with Valley scoring on their first attempt and Dylan Burton countering for Truro. After a Valley miss, Pickard scored what proved to be the difference as the Bearcats put the 4-3 win in the books.
Alec MacDonald stopped 25 of 28 shots to earn the win in net for Truro while Jacob Stewart had a busy night, facing 44 Bearcats’ shots.
Pyke, Keough, Elliott MacIsaac, Gavin Hart and Riley Baggs all picked up assists for Truro.
The Bearcats face back-to-back home games again this weekend. Friday they entertain the Yarmouth Mariners and Saturday, the Campbellton Tigers are in town.
Both games are at 7 p.m.