Blues offence explodes for 17 goals

SPRINGHILL - After a little bit of second-guessing themselves, the Cumberland County Cool Blues showed they are among the cream of the crop in the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League with a pair of lopsided wins over the weekend.
Rookie forward Adam MacDonald scored two goals and added an assist and Matt Kimber kicked out every shot he faced for the shutout as the Blues thumped the Bay Ducks 9-0 in St. Margaret's Bay on Saturday.
The win game a day after an 8-1 pasting of the Sackville Blazers on Friday at the Richard Calder Arena in Springhill.
"It was a pleasure to coach this weekend. The boys played so solid defensively and offensively," Blues coach Ron Reynolds said. "They played with the most confidence they've played with all season."
Cody Roach and Ryan Smith also scored two goals for the Blues, who return to action on Friday when they host the Bay Ducks at the Richard Calder Arena in Springhill.
Andrew Brennan made the most of his return to the lineup with a goal and three assists while Colin Feehan had a goal and two assists and Matt Noiles had a single goal.
Ryan Kay with two and Hughie McGuish, Mark Rozak, David Burke, Nathan Lavigne and Murray Bavis with one each added assists.
"Getting Andrew (Brennan) back and adding (Murray) Bavis to the lineup has made us that much more stronger," Reynolds said. "It gives us a lot more offence. Our depth really showed this weekend."
On Friday, Smith scored two goals in the win over Sackville while Jordie Shaw - with his first Junior B goal - Feehan, Burke, Noiles, Kay and Rozak also scored.
Roach with four, Bavis with three and Rozak, Justin Landry, Seth Crowe and Feehan added assists.
Despite the big wins, Reynolds said he was pleased with how his club played defensively since that's what it takes to win championships.
With the wins, the Blues kept close to first-place Antigonish. With a couple more wins, Reynolds feels the Blues could find themselves in first over all heading into the Christmas break.
dcole@amherstdaily.com