On Dec. 11, the Junior Mariners met the undefeated Grand Falls-Windsor Junior Cataracts at 7 p.m. Although it was a close game, the Cataracts held the lead and won 6-5.
At 1 p.m. on Dec. 12, the Mariners faced the Corner Brook Junior Royals. The Mariners made up for the previous day’s loss by beating the Royals with score of 10-0.
Coach Bruce Billard said the Mariners’ efforts against the Cataracts were good. He was pleased with the fact there was such a close score against the number one team.
“I was pleased with the way our team bounced back a couple of times,” he said. “If it hadn’t been for a good save here and there, it probably would have gone to a shootout, so I was pleased with that.”
Billard said Sunday’s game was solid.
Players who stood out in the weekend’s games included Riley Ricks, Brett Robinson and DJ Elliott.
In the New Year, Josh White, who’s been in St. John’s, will be returning to the Mariners’ lineup.
Jan. 10 is the deadline for rosters to be in.
“I’m going to make sure that we firm up our lineup going into the last half of the season and then to the playoffs,” Billard said.
He added the changes would be minor.
In the next while, Billard would like to push for first place.
“That means that we have to at least win the remaining three games against Central,” he said.
Billard said with each game, the Cataracts have three solid lines. He said though the team doesn’t make fancy plays, it works hard at both ends of the ice.
“They work really well as a team,” he said. “They’re a complete unit when they come out.”
The Mariners will play the Stephenville Junior Jets on Jan. 8 and 9, 2011. On Jan. 15 and 16, the Mariners will be back on their home ice playing the Cataracts.
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