Darren Stinke – Medicine Hat News
The Burnaby Winter Club Bruins proved they could win with defence.
During the 39th Annual Medicine Hat Hockey Hounds Major Bantam Tournament, the Bruins qualified for the Championship game by winning contest with shootout type scores from the 1980′s.
In the tournament’s title game on Sunday, the Bruins played more like the New Jersey Devils in their heyday blanking the North Shore Winter Club WinterHawks 4-0. During their five tournament games leading up to the final, the Bruins outscored their opposition 38-18, but the goals allowed were a concern for Burnaby head coach John Batchelor.
The Bruins had to win their semifinal game 9-6 on Saturday night over Kelowna’s Pursuit of Excellence. Batchelor was pleased with the better defensive effort in the final.
“We know we are capable of playing that way,” said Batchelor. “We score so many goals we get a little carried away at trying to score.”
“Today, we knew that it was going to be like a game of chess. We couldn’t afford to give them (the Winterhawks) any free ice. They have some guys that can snipe pretty good.”
“As I said to the kids, a small percentage separates winners from losers. Make sure you do the little things on the ice and big things will happen. That was out best game.”
Burnaby hit the scoreboard with 2:30 to play in the first period on a goal from Ty Ronning.
In the second, Burnaby’s powerplay went to work allowing the Bruins to go up 3-0. At the 5:05 mark of the frame Justin Szeto scored from close in to put the Bruins up 2-0.
After the Bruins had a goal disallowed, they went ahead 3-0 thanks to an accurate snipe by forward Matthew Barzal, who fired the puck low to the stick side to beat North Shore goaltender Taz Burman.
Nicholas Holowko rounded out the scoring for the Bruins in the third.
Nick McBride made 18 saves to earn the shutout win in goal for Burnaby. Burman turned aside 27 shots suffering the loss for North Shore.
“All the guys pulled together and we came through,” said Barzal, who had an assist to go along with his goal in the win. “Our defensive play in the last few games hadn’t been very good. We really had to step it up today to win the game.”
Winterhawks head coach Jim Dinwoodie felt his club ran out of gas on Sunday.
During Saturday’s playoff round, the Winterhawks beat two of Alberta’s top teams in downing the Edmonton South Side Athletic Club 5-1 in a quarterfinal, and the Calgary Bisons 5-2 in the semifinal.
“We played two great teams on Saturday and I think it emptied our tank a bit,” said Dinwoodie. ” We didn’t have a lot left.”
“We spent far too much time killing penalties. I thought that was a real difference maker.”