While the Westmoreland Bruins didn’t come out of the gate after Christmas on fire, the team did end up winning a pair of games at home against the Moose Jaw Warriors.
The Bruins (5-13-0) lost 9-1 on Jan. 3 to the Weyburn Wings (13-2-2) – who they beat just a few days before Christmas in South Saskatchewan Minor Hockey League peewee division action. They then battled the Warriors (4-12-2) in a pair of home games beating them in both.
Sunday, the Bruins got up 4-0 quickly but the Warriors came back and after the first period, the score ended up tied 5-5.
“We came out flying in the first and potted four quick ones and then we let them back in,” said Bruins head coach Kris Hollingshead. But we played through it and we were able to play with some intensity and some urgency and we came out on top in the end.”
Captain Carson Birnie had a hat trick by the time the Warriors got into the game, with leading scorer Ty Hoste getting a goal of his own. But only 6:58 into the first period, Rowan Calvert got the Warriors into the game with his first of three in the period. Jordan Marcotte scored on the power play 15:12 into the period to get a brief 5-3 lead but Moose Jaw came back to tie in the wild period.
Hoste’s power play goal at 5;48 of the second seemed to settle the Bruins down, as did a goaltending switch to Chloe Sorenson. She stood tall in the Bruins net, even as Liam Fitpatrick tied the game for Moose Jaw 10:21 into the third period.
“(Sorenson) went in there and she did what we asked her to do,” said Hollingshead. “She helped us get the win today.
But Jordan Morcotte stuffed in a shot underneath the Moose Jaw goalkeeper with 1:23 left in the game to give the Bruins the win.
“He was clutch for us this weekend,” said Hollingshead. “He scored four for us in the first game and (Sunday) he came through for us again. But it was a total team effort. Our goaltenders helped us out back there and it was a very good weekend for us.”
This weekend, the Bruins are once more at home, playing the Yorkton Terriers (12-1-2) at 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday at Affinity Place.
“We just need to learn how to keep playing with intensity and a little bit of urgency,” said Hollingshead. “We understand where we’re sitting in the league right now and it’s going to take a lot of hard work and teamwork to get back to where we should be.”
