The Kings Mutual bantam Wildcats gained a split in their games on the Dec. 1-2 weekend to improve their season record to 6-6-4.
After dropping a 9-6 decision to Mobil 1 Barons Dec. 1 in Berwick, the Wildcats rebounded to double the Truro Bearcats 4-2 the following day.
The Wildcats lost ground in the standings with the split. A pair of 5-4 wins over Dartmouth allowed Newbridge Senators to temporarily move past the Wildcats into sixth place with 17 points to 16 for seventh-place Kings Mutual.
Against Mobil 1, a wild opening period found the teams tied 5-5 at the buzzer. Five times, the Wildcats took the lead only to have the Barons come back to tie the score.
Mobil 1 scored two second period goals to the Wildcats’ one to take a 7-6 lead after two periods, then closed out the scoring with the only two goals of the third period.
Alexander Arab led the way for the Barons with four goals, all in the first period. Kyle Sexton added a pair of goals and Keenan MacIsaac and Luke Green one goal each. Sexton’s first goal, midway through the second period, was the game-winner.
Cole Rafuse had four goals of his own, three of them in the first period, to pace the Wildcats offense.
Drake Batherson and Gregor MacLeod had the other Kings Mutual goals. Batherson added three assists and Rafuse and Sam Roberts two assists each. The Barons ended up outshooting the Wildcats 41-29.
The following day, also in Berwick, the Wildcats fell behind 1-0 after one period on a goal by Truro’s Noah Archibald. Joel Sellers made it 2-0 Bearcats before MacLeod got Kings Mutual on the board with 8:55 remaining in the second period.
The Wildcats then tallied three goals in the third period, off the sticks of Batherson, MacLeod (his second of the game) and Christopher Llewellyn to secure the win and the weekend split. This time, the Wildcats had a narrow 23-17 edge in shots on goal.
Kings Mutual travels to HRM this past weekend for a pair of games, Saturday evening, Dec. 8 at the Halifax Forum against Bubba Rays Gulls and Sunday afternoon, Dec. 9 at the Shannon Arena against Pro Hockey Life Harbour Storm.
