Submitted by Kevin McKinnon, Broadcast Co-ordinator for the Grand Forks Border Bruins
The mid-season holiday break is approaching for the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, with just one more weekend of games to go.
Last weekend, the Border Bruins faced two division rivals. On Friday night, Dec. 10, the team traveled to face the Leafs in Nelson. The Bruins’ bench has been thin all season but, with injuries and suspensions, was astonishingly light on Friday night resulting in above-average total ice time for the players that were dressed for the game.
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Nelson dominated the first 53 minutes of the game, scoring seven times, including one on the powerplay. The Bruins lineup played a full 60-minute game, despite being down 7-0 and managed a pair of powerplay goals (Hunter Wood, Davis Hunter) to complete the game 7-2. The Bruins were out-shot 46-16, most heavily in the first period.
On Saturday, the Castlegar Rebels came to Grand Forks off of a loss the night before in Beaver Valley. The Rebels controlled the first period, getting ahead 5-0 at the first intermission, but the still-thin Bruins bench dug deep and played a much better game through the final two periods, allowing one Castlegar goal while picking up two of their own (Jameson Flint, Matteus Reis).
The Bruins have players returning from suspension in time for this coming weekend’s games and look forward to injured players returning after the holiday break.
There’s a rematch opportunity on Friday night, Dec. 17, as the team travels to Castlegar to face the Rebels once again, then the Creston Valley Thundercats will be in Grand Forks on Saturday night for the last game before the break.
Following the break, the Bruins play in Beaver Valley on Wednesday, Dec. 29, and host Castlegar again in an afternoon matinée on New Year’s Day.