The Grand Forks Border Bruins threw everything and the kitchen sink at the Columbia Valley Rockies on Friday night but despite firing 38 shots, still lost 7-4.
Head Coach and GM Brent Batten said that his team was carrying the play for much of the night.
“I just think we were putting the puck on net from everywhere,” explained Batten after the game.
“It’s important. You’re not going to score goals unless you get shots and I think the guys are starting to realize that. They’re doing a good job when they don’t have any other options, just putting it to the net and seeing what happens.”
Forward Carson McCulloch had three points (a goal and two assists) and said that the team played better in the opposing zone.
“That’s a hell of an improvement from the last time,” McCulloch said about the shot total for the night.
“I think that we recognized that our defense is weak so we just took shots from everywhere and their goalie wasn’t the best so if you put pucks on net, pucks are going to go in.”
The coach was pleased with his team’s play in the opposing zone but he wasn’t satisfied with the play in the defensive zone.
“A defensive miscue here or there and a couple of bad penalties along the way and it cost us at the end of the day,” Batten said.
The game was a physical affair with both teams playing the body and a few fights and while the Border Bruins had 10 power play opportunities, they only were able to capitalize once – the team was in the penalty box 11 times and Columbia Valley scored twice with the man advantage.
“Obviously special teams are a big
issue for us right now,” the coach said.
“Our power play has scored a few goals but the penalty kill has to get better. We can’t afford to take bad penalties and not be able to kill them off.”
The referees made some questionable calls and in fact, a number of
misconducts were handed out to Border Bruin players after they disputed some of the calls – Batten said team captain Jacob Bergeron and defenseman Garrett McCracken were handed misconducts.
Batten was not pleased with the way the game was officiated but said that it wasn’t an excuse for players to “spout off” at the referees.
“It’s adversity. Sometimes you get the calls and sometimes you don’t. Tonight, we obviously didn’t really get the calls we wanted but at the same time it comes down to discipline,” Batten said.
“The boys need to learn that lesson. If you’re not getting the calls, you’re not going to make it any better by opening your mouth. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ref change his mind.”
The team suffered a 9-2 home loss to the Fernie Ghostriders in its next game, which took place Sunday afternoon.