YARMOUTH, N.S. – The Yarmouth Mariners took Game 1 of their best-of-seven-game series with a 2-0 win at home over the Truro Bearcats on March 15.
There was no scoring by either team in the first period of this Eastlink South Division semi-final series. Yarmouth’s first goal of the game came off the stick of Noah McMullin (Matt Smith, Aaron Maillet) at 14:25 in the second period.
It was towards the start of the third period at 4:18, that the Mariners added their second marker with a goal by Connor Peveril (Duncan McKie, Chris Goreham).
In what had been a low-penalty affair, Truro got the six-on-four-man advantage with 1:27 left in the third period when the Mariners were sent to the box on an interference call (that the home-town crowd did not agree with). The Bearcats pulled goalie Kevin Resop from their net for an added extra attacker. Truro lost their two-man advantage when they were given a hooking penalty with 14.3 seconds left in the game. Yarmouth hung on for the win.
Yarmouth had 30 shots on the Truro net. In net for Yarmouth Leif Hertz, who was named first star of the game, turned away all 31 Bearcats shots for the shutout. Yarmouth’s goal scorers – McMillan and Peveril – were named second and third stars.
Following the game Mariners head coach Laurie Barron said he felt his team had gotten off to a bit of a shaky start but played very well once they settled down.
“I thought our start was a little just average, I thought we had some guys with a few nerves,” he said. “The first five minutes were a little jittery, after that I thought we did very well and as the game went on I think we got better and better.”
In saying that, Barron said this series won’t be a cake walk for either team and he expects tough battles from both teams on the ice for all games.
“They’re so good defensively,” he said about the Bearcats. “Both teams defend well and trying to score by committee and that’s going to be the whole series. You need a break or two, repetitious of good habits, that’s the key.”
Game 2 is Saturday, March 17 in Truro at 7 p.m. Four wins are needed by a team to win the series.
Series schedule:
Game 1: Truro at Yarmouth March 15, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Yarmouth at Truro March 17, 7 p.m.
Game 3: Truro at Yarmouth March 19, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Yarmouth at Truro March 21, 7 p.m.
Game 5 (if needed): Truro at Yarmouth March 23, 7:30 p.m.
Game 6 (if needed): Yarmouth at Truro March 25, 7 p.m.
Game 7 (if needed): Truro at Yarmouth March 27, 7 p.m.
