BY CHRIS UHLIG
After the 4:7 loss a week ago Friday against the Renfrew Wolves and an equally disappointing 4:6 loss the next day at the rematch, the Bears ended their streak of bad luck last Wednesday with a 1:0 win over the Ottawa Junior Senators.
Last Friday then saw the Nepean Raiders visiting the Bears for their third meet on ice this season. In sharp contrast to the game just a week prior, watchers in the seats were greeted to a Bears team displaying excellent teamwork, well played passes and overall more focused energy, noticed and commended on also by some onlookers. The Raiders however seized on the opportunity of a power play to quickly establish the lead with a goal at 2:51 by Mario Scalise. Owen Watson, assisted by Travis Quellette and Matthey Dimaline allowed the Bears to catch up later in the first period at 14:26. Nepean took the lead once more at 1:24 into the second period, scored by Kyle Slingerland. The Bears answered at 8:51 with a power play score by Matthew Martin-Gaudreault, with the assists credited to Shaymus Stevenson and Alec Hamedy. The team now asserted claim to become the driving force of the game and never let go of it, with Blake Menard shooting the winning goal at 14:05 with help by Trevor Faucher and Shaymus Stevenson, followed by the insurance goal courtesy of Trevor Faucher at 17:15, assisted by Kyle James and Julien Wasmer. Trevor Faucher then went on to score his second goal of the evening merely 25 seconds into the third period, this time a spectacular unassisted short handed fling of the puck past Nepean’s goalie Brady McEwan. The second half of the period went uneventful but busy, with the Bears trying to exhaust the Raiders. Nepean barely managed to get three shots at the net, compared to 14 for the Bears this period. This strategy paid big dividends in the end, allowing the Bears to carry over their lead to a 5:2 win.
Unsurprisingly, Trevor Faucher took home First Star for two goals and one assist, Blake Menard earned Second Star for the winning goal, and the raider’s Goalie Brady McEwan took Third Star.
Both goalies showed excellent performances, McEwan held 39 of 44 shots, and the Bear’s own Dawson Labre 21 out of 23. Labri also claims the number one spot in the goalie stats with an 2.38 goals against average. As can be seen, the Bears clearly outshoot the Raiders almost double. Also noticeable was the low number of penalties, a sign of the disciplined game by both teams.
Sunday later saw the Bears take home a 6:1 win over the Carleton Place Canadians.
Smiths Falls now sits on the top spot in the Robinson Division with 47 points at 37 games, and fourth spot overall. However the Renfrew Wolves are sitting uncomfortably close with the same number of points, and just one more game played.
Please keep reminded that the January 23rd game at the Den is postponed.
