The Morrisburg Lions had a good weekend as they picked up three out of four points with a win over the Blackburn Inferno and a tie with the league’s third-place team, the Cumberland Bandits, on Sunday afternoon. The Lions’ defensemen Kirk Gauvreau (5) scored one goal in each game including the only one in the 1-1 tie versus the Bandits. O’Donohue photo
Jeff Moore
Record Staff
MORRISBURG – The Morrisburg Lions had two home games this past weekend.
Lions 1 Bandits 1 (OT): The Morrisburg Lions welcomed the Cumberland Bandits to the Morrisburg Arena on Sun., Nov. 26, in the NCJHL. The Lions went into the game after picking up their fourth victory of the season but still sat in a two-way tie for 10th place. With a win, the Lions could leap into sole possession of ninth place.
The Bandits have been on fire lately and have moved up the standings into sole possession of third place. The Bandits opened the scoring at 4:47 of the first period and took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The shots on goal were even at 13 after one. The two teams battled to a scoreless second period as the Bandits carried the 1-0 lead into the second intermission. The Lions knotted the affair at one as Kirk Gauvreau blasted one home from Brandon Cameron at 7:29.
Nothing was decided before the end of regulation so the game headed to a four-on-four overtime period. Neither could score in the four-on-four so the game headed to a three-on-three, three minute overtime period. The teams went back and forth but neither were able to score as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
With the tie, the Lions moved into a two-way tie with the Blackburn Inferno for the last playoff spot. Picking up the tie in the Lions’ goal was Dean Gauvreau making 31 saves on 32 shots.
Lions 5 Inferno 4: The Morrisburg Lions welcomed the Blackburn Inferno to the Morrisburg Arena on Sat., Nov. 25, in the NCJHL. The Lions sat in 11th place in the standings but just one point behind the South Grenville Rangers in 10th. The Inferno sat in ninth place just three ahead of the Lions and two ahead of the Rangers.
The Inferno opened the scoring just 25 seconds into the first period to take a 1-0 lead and made it 2-0 at 2:41. The Lions got one back at 9:37 as Josh Barnes fired one to the back of the net from Brandon Cameron to make it 2-1. The Lions tied the game when Thomas Ouderkirk scored an unassisted short-handed goal at 16:47.
The Lions took their first lead of the game when Anthony Pace snuck one home from Evan Mantha and Ouderkirk on the power play with just 14 seconds remaining in the opening frame. The Lions took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission. The Inferno scored the lone goal of the second period at 2:57 on the power play and the teams took a three-all draw into the second intermission.
The Lions retook the lead when Jordan Smail scored an unassisted goal at 4:56 but the Inferno tied the game again at 10:03. With time winding down in the game, the Lions found an opening and Kirk Gauvreau snapped one home at 15:10 unassisted to make it 5-4.
The Inferno pulled their goalie in favour of an extra attacker with a little over a minute and a half remaining but the Lions’ defence and goalie, Dean Gauvreau held the first as the Lions picked up their fourth win of the season. Picking up the win in the Lions’ goal was Dean Gauvreau making 38 saves on 42 shots.
Up next: Sat. Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m., Morrisburg Lions vs. North Dundas Rockets, Chesterville Arena; Sun., Dec. 3, 2:30 p.m., Lions vs. Vankleek Hill Cougars, Morrisburg Arena.
