MUSKOKA BEARS BETTER BUT STILL WINLESS AFTER WEEKEND JR. C HOCKEY SEASON OPENERS

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

BRACEBRIDGE — The Muskoka Bears are proving better their second season out after a pair of weekend starts.

A 5-0 loss Friday in Alliston was far better than the 11-0 drought they suffered in their first season against the power-house.

And a narrow 3-2 loss yesterday afternoon in their home opener was a much improved result against their new nemesis.

The Bears celebrate Dyrlan Hendricks goal in the third while showing some early progress after last season. PHOTO Mark Clairmont MuskokaTODAY.com

Two games in to renewed existence the Jr. C team is showing the promise fans have been promise.

Bigger, better and with a new coaching team and some solid goaltending they’re already far ahead of last fall.

A penalty shot, a fight at centre ice, player ejection, ringing posts and a crowd of 500 itching for more scoring highlighted the first 10 minutes of play to much overall delight.

But ….

“A lack of discipline,” said coach and GM Jeff Sanders after the first period yesterday, cost them consecutive games.

Seven Muskoka penalties the first 20 minutes may have prompted the early assessment, including a double-minor for kneeing and 10 minutes for unsportsmanlike penalty to Logan Cicchelli.

Huntsville’s power play goal at 12:53 by Otter Preston Seguin-Henderson was the  visitors’ first of the season after a 2-0 loss to Innisfil Friday.

The Bears returned fire minutes later, also on the power play, with their first of 2025-26 by impressive newcomer Kevin Demeules, at 15:52, who looked solid in his debut.

Kevin Demeules had the Bears’ first goal of the season in the opening period and looked solid his first game for Muskoka. PHOTO Mark Clairmont MuskokaTODAY.com

It was much the same Friday new OHL goalie Kyle Downey suffered “the most shots (64) I ever faced in my career.”

Sunday was better for Muskoka in terms of shots, giving up 28 on 52 of their own on Darrin Willis a league all-star last season.

The Otters potted two more in the second by Braxton Bullen at 2:08 and Jack MacInally at 7:09 for a 3-1 lead.

Dylan Hendrick, of MacTier, got the Bears to within a goal a 1:19 of the third.

But the Bears couldn’t find the back of the net for the equalizer.

Sanders didn’t want to talk about the loss after and was still dressing down his players in the room while the Otters were halfway to Port Sydney.

The teams go back at in Huntsville Friday night in what is shaping up to be another intense rivalry between the Muskoka teams in the Provincial Junior Hockey League.

Dylan Hendrick one-time it in the close game in which he scored the home team’s second goal early in the third narrowing the 3-1 game to one goal.

New Bears goalie Joseph Degan, of Bracebridge, played well in his debut in the 3-2 home opener Sunday afternoon. PHOTO Alex Hogg MuskokaTODAY.comEMAIL: news@muskokatoday.com

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