Chris Uhlig

Ringing in the new year with a Bears game is sweet, ringing it in with a win is just the icing on top of it. The Bears won their first home game Friday night 5-4 against the Cornwall Colts, but before the win came a lot of hard work for the boys.

Cornwall initiated scoring with a goal by Alex Gagnon at 12:19. But Ethan Coltart with some help by Ryan Richardson and Alexandre Way leveled the scoring board with the Bears first goal of the year at 16:08, and another goal just seconds later at 16:42 by Joey Warywoda, assisted by Grant Rincke and Jacob Shankar pushed the Bears to a lead. However the joy was short lived, as Philippe Gilmour wiped out the lead with a score for the Colts at 17:15.

The second period started with Cornwall taking the lead when Alec Taillon scored at 2:04. The Bears caught up with Fletcher Anderson’s goal at the 6:39 mark, assisted by Noah Rowland. Cornwall dashed to the lead again when Josh Barnes flung the puck past goalie Jake Smith at 14:53.

Alexandre Way, assisted by Jacob Cuffley, brought the Bears to eye level again with his goal 6:15 into the third period. A power play advantage opened the way for Mitchell Larabie and some helping hands by Joey Warywoda and Bruce Coltart to shoot the winning goal at the 11:36 mark. The Bears played a purely defensive game from that point on forward, with action happening mostly around their own net, trying to stop the relentless onslaught of offenses by the Colts. Cornwall decided to take out goalie Michael Carr during the last minute, but the Bears didn’t find a way to cash in on the opportunity of an empty net, even though they tried.

27 shot were recorded for the Bears versus 21 shots for the Colts.

First Star of the game was awarded to Alexandre Way with one goal and one assist, Second Star went to Alex Gagnon (COR), and Third Star went to Joey Warywoda, also with one goal and one assist.