The Grand Forks Border Bruins packed their bags last weekend for a long drive to 100 Mile House. On Friday evening the team picked up their first road win of the season in thrilling fashion.
The Bears had a great start to the game, taking a two-goal lead into the first intermission on the strength of Zane Avery’s marksmanship. He now has five goals on the season; coupled with 12 assists, Avery leads the team with 17 points.
The hometown Wranglers bounced back in the middle stanza to tie the game with goals from Darian Long and Chase Schurak. They carried the momentum into the final period and moved in front on goals from Kolby Page and Ryan McMann. Grand Forks had their backs to the wall. Thanks to their power play, they connected twice to tie the game, and send it into overtime. August Demaere, with his first of the year, followed by defenceman Logan Hascarl, secured at least a point for the visitors.
In extra time the hero for the Bears was defenceman Cole Jensen from Taber, Alta. The Bruins are overloaded with right hand defencemen and plucked Jensen off the roster of the Nelson Leafs, being told that he was a left-handed shot. Turns out he actually shoots right. Maybe he’s ambidextrous! For now, the fans are just happy he is in Grand Forks.
Next stop for the bus load of happy athletes was Kamloops, billed as Canada’s Tournament Capital. The Kamloops Storm have been struggling this season, and on paper, there was a good chance Grand Forks would be driving home with back-to-back road victories.
Sadly such was not the case. The game began well enough as Liam Stalwick gave the Bruins the lead midway through the opening period. This was the Red Deer product’s seventh goal of the year, which is one more than he had in 46 games last season. Liam has the size and talent to put up some solid offensive numbers this for the Bears.
The Border Bruins were clinging to the one goal lead when Adam Ferreira tied the game on a Kamloops power play midway through the second frame. Five minutes later the Storm’s James Lalikeas scored what proved to be the winner. The wheels fell off for Grand Forks in the final period as the home team scored three times to make the final 5-1. Holden King faced 52 shots in the disappointing loss.
Grand Forks Border Bruins scout, Cody Thate, commented, “Our goaltending performed the way we expected over the weekend, however our forwards only seemed to show up for one game (in 100 Mile House).”
The Border Bruins, with nine points in the standings, find themselves clinging to the final playoff spot in the Neil Murdoch division, five points behind a much-improved Spokane team. The Castlegar Rebels are in the basement, just two points back of the Bruins.
Cody commented, “We just need a few more pieces to the puzzle.” And some pieces have arrived. In addition to Cole Jensen, the hero of the win in 100 Mile House, other additions brought in for a look are two goaltenders, John Douce and Riley Tucker. Also arriving in Grand Forks is Jake Huculak, who was with the Revelstoke Grizzlies. He played 44 games in the KIJHL in 2017-18, evenly split between Beaver Valley and North Okanagan Knights.
The Bruins entertain the Creston Valley Thunder Cats this Friday at 7 p.m. at the Jack Goddard Memorial Arena. They travel to Spokane for a 2 p.m. encounter on Sunday, followed by a trip to Castlegar next Tuesday. At the end of the season we may well look back and realize that this trio of games were the most important on the Bruins’ schedule.