The North Dundas Rockets had two preseason games this past weekend as they welcomed the South Grenville Rangers on Saturday night and the Metcalfe Jets on Sunday afternoon. The Rockets’ sure-handed returning forward Chris Marchand had a good weekend scoring three goals and three helpers for six points in two games. Another returning forward Shawn Simms congratulates Marchand after scoring in last year’s semifinal against the Vankleek Hill Cougars.     Moore file photo

Jeff Moore
Record Staff
WINCHESTER — The North Dundas Rockets began their 2017 NCJHL preseason with two games this past weekend as they welcomed the South Grenville Rangers on Saturday night and the Metcalfe Jets on Sunday afternoon.

Jets 6 Rockets 5
The North Dundas Rockets welcomed the Metcalfe Jets to the Joel Steele Community Centre in Winchester on Sun., Sept. 10, in the second game of the NCJHL preseason. The Rockets were coming off a one-sided affair against the South Grenville Rangers in their previous game the night before.

For the Jets it was their first preseason game of the season since moving to Metcalfe from Embrun after the Embrun Panthers moved up to the CCHL2. The Panthers beat the Rockets in the NCJHL final last spring so the Rockets were hoping for a little retribution.

The Rockets opened the scoring when Dylan Nixon blasted one home from Justin Lefebvre and Braden Van Kessel on the power play at 8:42 of the first period taking a 1-0 lead.

The Rockets made it 2-0 when Bailey Norman slapped one to the back of the net from Jake Downey and Ben Medynski at 17:29. Just as it looked as though the Rockets were going into the first intermission with a two-goal lead the Jets answered with just 32 seconds remaining as Nathan Bols popped one home from Tyler Jodoin and Martin Carriere.

The Rockets took a 2-1 lead into the intermission. The Jets tied the game when Phil Brunet scored from William Lachapelle at 3:08 of the second period. The Jets took their first lead of the game when Bols scored his second of the game from Tyler Jodoin and Jacob Gregoire at 7:10.

The Rockets tied the game again when Justin Lefebvre scored from Tyson Sherrer at 13:07. The Jets retook the lead with 3:02 remaining in the second period as Sebastien Roy sniped one from Jacob Marley and took a 4-3 lead into the second intermission.

The Jets made it 5-3 just 2:03 into the third period as Cameron Gallant snapped one home from David Manchisi. The Rockets answered with a goal at 5:41 as Brad Stitt slid one home from Chris Marchand and Norman to make it 5-4. The Rockets tied the game at 7:01 as Marchand blasted one home from Norman and Medynski.

The Jets restored their lead when Roy scored his second of the game at 12:24 from Carriere and Gallant. The Rockets tried desperately to score the game-tying goal but the Jets held them off taking the game 6-5.

Suffering the loss in goal were the tandem of Dawson Charlebois and Max Eves making 30 saves on 36 shots. Picking up the win in the Jets’ goal were Danik Gervais and Nathan Noel making 38 saves on 43 shots.

Rockets 11 Rangers 1
The North Dundas Rockets welcomed the South Grenville Rangers to the Joel Steele Community Centre in Winchester on Sat., Sept. 9, in their first NCJHL pre-season game of 2017. The Rockets dressed just six veterans they had on the roster last year.

The Rangers were playing in their first NCJHL game after their Junior B team from Prescott was bought out by the ownership group of the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the CCHL and are now the Whitewater Kings playing out of Cobden.

The Rockets got on the board first as Kage Hallet slapped one to the back of the net from Tristan Staff at 6:18 of the first period to take a 1-0 lead. The flood gates opened for the Rockets after the first goal as they scored five more first-period goals.

Starting it off was Chris Marchand at 7:49 from Brodie Barkley and Brad Stitt, then Jacob Robinson at 10:07 from Marchand, followed by Dylan Nixon from Hallet and Bailey Norman at 10:38, then Justin Lefebvre at 12:38 from Nixon and finally Ethan Gallant at 17:56 unassisted.

The Rockets took a 6-0 lead into the first intermission. It didn’t get any easier for the Rangers in the second period as the Rockets’ Marchand scored his second of the night from Curtis Barkley at 3:33. The Rockets made it 8-0 when Stitt scored his first goal as a Rocket at 10:17 from Aaron Turcotte.

The Rockets lit the lamp again at 15:01 as Gallant scored his second unassisted goal of the night taking a commanding 9-0 lead into the second intermission. The Rockets made it 10-0 when Robinson scored his second of the night from Stitt and Travis McInnis at 10:09 of the third period.

The Rangers finally hit the scoresheet at 15:06 as Kris Laushway scored from Cole Edgely and Damon Brown on a power play to make it 10-1. The Rockets added a late goal with just 37 seconds remaining as Stitt scored his second from Marchand and Norman taking the game 11-1.

Splitting the win in the Rockets’ goal were Dawson Charlebois and Max Eves making 27 saves on 28 shots. The Rockets outshot the Rangers 61-28.

Up next
The North Dundas Rockets to the Leo Boivin Community Centre in Prescott to take on the South Grenville Rangers in the grudge match on Sat., Sept. 16 at 7:15 p.m.