HUNTSVILLE WINS SECOND BATTLE OF MUSKOKA JUNIOR TEAMS TONIGHT WITH 5-0 SHUT OUT VICTORY AT HOME

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

HUNTSVILLE — A coaching change hasn’t made a difference for the Bears.

Muskoka’s other Jr. C team, the Otters, shut them out 5-0 tonight.

It was their third win.

The gulf between the two teams wasn’t just the wider ice that’s always disadvantage for occasional visitors like the Bear who were either pushed to the side by the defence or took the easy route and avoided the slot.

Penalties were again the new PJHL Muskoka entry’s nemesis in a game with an announced crowd of 861 — many of them up from south Muskoka.

The wide open Huntsville Olympic ice size, always a home ice advantage and a disadvantage for the visitors, cost the Bears a 5-0 loss in their ninth game. Photo Mark Clairmont

Not long after former Otter Jacob Jennings was jeered by his old hometown supporters for cross-checkinng, a slashing penalty and stupid misconduct to Kaden Goggins left the visitors two men short.

That opened the door for Huntsville’s first pair of power play goal by Braxton Bullen at 18:37 followed by Damon Buttus at 19:01.

In the second another Otter goal by Nicholas Cooper at 7:26 and Caleb Carr at 9:03 cost Campbell McDiarmid his time in the south Muskoka net.

Connor Sampson came in allowed another power-play marker by Brechin Johnston at 19:35 for a 5-0 period and game finish.

Both teams settled down in the scoreless third — though it looked liked the Otters were more measured in their play.

Bears goalie Campbell McDiarid sprawls before giving up a one of his four goals that had him replaced midway through the second period. Photo Mark Clairmont

The Bears had their own two-man advantage, but couldn’t score on Darian Willis who got the shut out. Muskoka ended up going 0-3 on the power play; Huntsville finished 2-6 scoring on both their opportunities.

They also took all four penalties in the first, but the Otters had the sin bin advantage 4-2 in second. Both teams were called four times in the final frame.

The officiating team was down a stripe in the second when a referee was cut in the face by what appeared to be a stick.

It was the second match-up for the two Muskoka rivals. Huntsville won the first one 4-2 in Bracebridge Sunday afternoon Sept. 22.

The Bears, who lost their last game 6-1 to Innisfil last Saturday, fired Jason Dawes Sept. 26 and brought in local coach Jake Yard the next night in Orillia.

But he and his team are winless in five games since and now sport a dismal record of 1 win, 7 losses and 1 shutout loss in their nine games.

Huntsville is at 10-3-6-1 OTL for third place.

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