The Vikings’ Captain, Sebastien Plante has been a force this season scoring 28 goals and picking up 32 assists for 60 points. Plante picked up a helper half way through the third period to extend his scoring streak to 23 games.   Courtesy Lauwers photo

Jeff Moore
Record Staff
CASSELMAN – The Casselman Vikings had two games this past week.

Vikings 5 Rideaus 2: The Vikings welcomed the Westport Rideaus to the J. R. Brisson Complex on Sat., Jan. 6, in the CCHL2. The Vikings were coming off a big 6-0 win over the Brockville Tikis in their previous game and moved six points ahead of the Ottawa Canadians for first place.

The Rideaus were coming off an even bigger win over the Tikis 13-0 the previous night and sat in a second-place tie with the Carleton Place Canadians and just two points in the Richardson Division leading Athens Aeros.

After a scoreless first period, the Vikings started things off when Carter Malette lit the lamp from Ethan Wensink at 4:29 of the second period to take a 1-0 lead. The Vikings made it 2-0 when Jonathan Yaremko sniped one from Olivier Brunet and Danyk Drouin at 6:40.

The Rideaus managed to keep the Vikings off the score board for the remainder of the period but the Vikings took the 2-0 lead into the second intermission. The Vikings made it 3-0 just 37 seconds into the third period when Ryan Sabourin slid one home from Malette and Wensink but the Rideaus got that one back at 6:35 to make it a 3-1 game.

The Vikings restored their three-goal lead when Joel Hunt slapped one home from Brendan Doherty and Sebastien Plante at 9:36. The Vikings made it 5-1 when Brunet tapped one home from Drouin and Samuel Labre at 9:55.

The Rideaus scored a late power-play goal but it wasn’t enough as the Vikings took the game 5-2, moving eight points up of the Ottawa Canadians. Picking up the win in the Vikings’ goal was Nick Campbell making 30 saves on 32 shots. Plante stretched his own scoring streak to 23 games.

Vikings 6 Tikis 0: The Casselman Vikings travelled to the Brockville Memorial Centre on Wed., Jan. 3, to take on the Brockville Tikis in the CCHL2. The Vikings sat in sole possession of first place in the Martin Division four points up on the Ottawa Canadians in second. The Tikis are at the other end of the spectrum as they sat in sole possession of last place in the Richardson Division with just five wins in 35 games.

The Vikings opened the scoring when Sebastien Plante bulged the twine at 8:24 of the first period from Brendan Doherty and Joel Hunt to take a 1-0 lead.

The Vikings made it 2-0 at 10:30 when Danyk Drouin snapped one home from Carter Malette and Ethan Wensink and 3-0 at 12:49 when Doherty fired one to the back of the net from Plante and Malette.

The Vikings took the 3-0 lead into the first intermission outshooting the Tikis 19-2. The Vikings fired another 28 shots at the Tikis’ goal in the second period but just two made it across the goal line. Drouin scored his second of the game at 3:55 from Oliver Brunet and Jonathan Yaremko and Plante scored his second of the game from Hunt and Doherty at 9:44. The Vikings took a 5-0 lead into the second intermission.

The Vikings made it 6-0 when Ethan Wensink pounded one home from Yaremko and Brady Cloutier on the power play at 7:40 of the third period. The Tikis actually outshot the Vikings 12-11 in the third period but just could not find the back of the net as the Vikings took the game 6-0 moving six points ahead of the Canadians. Picking up the win in the Vikings’ goal was Zachary Paputsakis making 24 saves for the shutout.

Up next: Thurs., Jan 11, 7:30 p.m., Vikings vs. Winchester Hawks, J. R. Brisson Complex, Casselman; Sat., Jan. 13, 7 p.m., Vikings vs. Whitewater Kings, Cobden Arena, Cobden.