BY CHRIS UHLIG
The Bears amazing seven-game winning streak finally came to an end at the Friday night home game on February 9th against the Rockland Nationals. Some people argued the team should have won, but in all fairness, they weren’t really delivering the top performance we have gotten used to seeing on the ice and just couldn’t find a way into the game this time around. Rockland and Smiths Falls had met three times before in the current season.
The first two periods saw no scoring. Both teams were unable to put the few power play opportunities of the game to use.
The troubles for the Bears finally rose to the top during the second half of the third period. The players appeared to lack concentration, making more serious mistakes. Passing the puck directly to the opponent was one thing, but leaving their own territory wide open with the defense nowhere in sight finally spelled disaster. Rockland’s Anthony Hall had no problem sailing unopposed all the way through to the net of Dawson Labre. By the time the Bear’s defense caught up, the damage was already done at the 13:52 mark. A last ditch effort to swap Labre for another player during the last two minutes of the game did not yield any results.
The Nationals took the 1:0 win against the Bears.
Smiths Fall fired 23 shots on net, Rockland 17.
Rockland’s goalie Benoit Forget took First Star, the Bear’s goalie Dawson Labre Second Star, and Anthony Hall earned Third Star for the single score of the game.
While the Bears lost the game, not everything was doom and gloom. The team corrected the blemish on the record the very next day with a solid 4:1 win over the Nationals at Rockland. Cameron O’Connell, Tyson Parker, Travis Quellette, and Shaymus Stevenson all landed a score Saturday.
Despite the loss, the Bears maintain their positionat the top of the Robinson Division with 57 points at 43 games and are still sitting in third position in overall standings, however runner-up Rockland is moving dangerously close with 54 points at only 41 games.
The Bears prepare to face Ottawa in their upcoming home game, and remain determined to defend their position and continue their pursuit of success. Hope to see you there.
