GFBB take down Princeton Posses 7-5
By Graeme Willson
Princeton Posse vs. Grand Forks Border Bruins
The Princeton Posse and the Grand Forks Border Bruins met at the Midway arena, Jan 10.
It was a game packed with power plays that brought the Bruins a win over the Posse’s with a final tally of 7-5.
The start of the game was delayed, which resulted in the Posse’s being handed a two-minute team penalty by the referees.
Despite the delay, the Bruins started out strong, with Team Captain Jackson Purvis scoring the first goal only 60 seconds into the game. Teammates Reid Robertson and Nathan Cory assisted.
The Bruins didn’t miss a beat. Mitchell Pearson executed an exceptional power play and scored the second goal with the clock reading 18:34. Purvis and Coleton Dawson assisted.
A second goal was scored a few minutes later by the Posse’s Trevor Pereverzoff. That was the start of a roll for the Posses and they scored their second goal shortly after.
A scuffle broke out on the ice and the refs whistles sounded. Bruins John Skeet was sent to the penalty box for interference.
The puck continued to drop, beginning new plays and minutes unwound from the clock. More penalties were handed out to Robertson and Posse’s Curtis Sexsmith for roughing. The clock read 9:55. Less than a minute later Dawson was joined his teammate in the penalty box for roughing.
The remainder of the first period was intense with both teams’ players jockeying for control over the puck to score more goals.
With the minutes dropping off the clock, the players energy raged high. The refs sent Bruins player John Skeet to the box for slashing.
The last goal of the period was scored by Posse player Devan Suidy. It was the third goal of the first period.
The second period had the same high energy from start to finish, with players being sent to the penalty box from start to finish.
Bruins’ Lincoln Lane was the first to be sent to the box for tripping along with Posse’ Suidy for roughing.
When the clock reached 17:26, the Bruins scored their third goal thanks to Coleton Dawson with assists by Mitchell Pearson and Kyle Dolly.
Both teams’ players continued playing hard as the minutes dropped from the clock, while neither team scored another goal. The penalties started to amount. Posse player Kurtis Klinger and Bruin’s Newton were both sent to the box for slashing.
Posse’s player Tyler Ehlers scored his teams fourth goal with 11:07 on the clock. At 10:55 stopped on the clock refs sent Posse’s Kurtis Klinger to the box for interference.
As the puck hit the ice again what can only be called an exceptional four-second power play the Bruins Connor Gross scored a fourth goal for his team while Purvis and Skeet gave assists with that power play. The goal stopped the timer at 10:51.
The Bruins Nathan Cory scored a fifth goal for his team at 7:30 left on the clock. Bruins Cory received assists with the fifth goal from team mates Lukas Peters and Purvis.
Despite valiant efforts, no more goals were scored in the second period. But penalties were given to the Bruins’ Coleton Dawson for holding and the Posse’s Paul Ramsey for hooking.
The teams were only able to play 29 seconds into the third period before the refs whistles started to blow and more players were sent to the penalty box.
Posse player Eden Dubchak was given a long, 10-minute penalty for misconduct and Suidy got two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct.
This didn’t put the Bruins’ off their game. They delivered an exceptional power play and Purvis scored the sixth goal of the game with assists from Skeet and Nathan Cory with 17:43 on the clock.
The Posse’s tried to step it up and fans could almost see the Bruins holding them back before Dawson was given a penalty for tripping.
Suidy was sent for another two-minute penalty for tripping, leaving only four men on the ice for the Posses. The Bruins knew this gave them advantage and Brandon Savaia scored their seventh goal, winning the game. Savaia had assists from Newton and Gross.
That didn’t stop the clock. Both teams wanted more goals and the refs kept blowing their whistles. Bruins’ Michael Rand was sent to the box for goaltender interferecne, and the Posse’s Estavan Hale was sent out for interference. The last penatly of the game was against Bruins’ Lincoln Lane for tripping.
With only seconds on the clock, the Posses launched a surprise attack and managed to score a fifth goal by Kurtis Klinger.
Neither team slowed down until the buzzer sounded, ending the game.
“Diligence, methodical planning, and exceptional plays brought us to this win tonight,” said Coach Kevin Flather, adding he’s not surprised. “Through learning, and lots of hard work to pull it together, the Bruins are coming out on top of the pack!! We will see you all at the playoffs!!”
