The Power Tech Bear Cats were hampered in their season opener by their inability to get to their own rebounds.
The midget AA Bear Cats lost their first game of the South Saskatchewan Female Hockey League season 2-1 to the Weyburn Drillers, a game where they tried to get shots through but couldn't get on the scoreboard late in the game.
“We didn't work hard enough and we played on the outside of the game instead of the inside of the game,” said Bear Cats coach Trevor Morrison. Weyburn won a lot of battles to loose pucks, he said.
“They (Weyburn) controlled the game because they outworked us. And if you don't work hard, other things don't work out for you as it showed today.”
Captain Marci LeBlanc scored the Bear Cats' only goal of the game with 5:51 on the clock to give her team the lead.
Morrison, who only had seven skaters on the bench at any point with five skaters on the ice, said his team is a good group of players who are listening but are inexperienced in the midget game.
“We haven't skated a whole lot,” Morrison said. “There's lots of new girls and we just weren't ready. We've played these girls once before and we need to get our effort up.”
The Bear Cats only put about 18 shots on net in the game, a total far less than what they'll need to in order to win games.
“When we did get a shot, it was one and done,” Morrison said. “There was no net drive, there was no second chances, there was not that extra will. We just were second to the puck the whole game, I've got to give Weyburn credit. They outworked us today.”
The Bear Cats' next action is a doubleheader Saturday and Sunday in Swift Current. Their next home games are the following weekend against the Moose Jaw Mavericks.
“We just need to get in better shape and get to the puck first,” Morrison said.
