The Casselman Vikings travelled to the Joel Steele Community Centre in Winchester on Fri., Nov. 24, to take on the Hawks in the CCHJL2. The Vikings’ veteran forward Brendan Doherty (11) scored two goals in the Vikings’ 5-1 victory. Doherty is third in team scoring behind Sebastien Plate and Ethan Wensink and has nine goals and 23 assists in 24 games this season.   Courtesy Lauwers photo

Jeff Moore
Record Staff
WINCHESTER – The Casselman Vikings had two games this past weekend.

Vikings 5 Hawks 1: The Casselman Vikings travelled to the Joel Steele Community Centre in Winchester on Fri., Nov. 24, to take on the Hawks in the CCHL2. The Vikings went into the game in second place five points behind the Ottawa Canadians and four ahead of the Embrun Panthers in the Martin Division.

The Hawks sat in the last spot but were on a three-game winning streak including knocking off the third-place Embrun Panthers and the fourth-place Ottawa West Golden Knights. The two teams battled to a scoreless first period but the Vikings outshot the Hawks 18-7.

The Hawks opened the scoring when Miguel Pare was set up in front of the net by Hunter Randell at 8:26 of the second period taking a 1-0 lead. The Vikings tied the game when Brendan Doherty fired home a one-timer from Sebastien Plante and Joel Hunt at 16:58.

The Vikings struck again with just 25 seconds remaining in the middle frame as Ryan Sabourin snapped one home from Samuel Labre and Brad Richardson and took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission. It was all Vikings in the third period beginning just 2:58 into the period as Richardson fired one to the back of the net from Plante on the power play to make it 3-1.

Doherty scored his second of the game at 16:17 from Plante and Gabriel Rousselle to give the Vikings a 4-1 lead. The Vikings closed out the scoring when Ethan Wensink pounded a one-timer from Carter Malette and Yanick Dicaire at 16:43. The Vikings took the game 5-1 ending the Hawks’ three-game winning streak and with the Canadians’ loss to the Perth Blue Wings the Vikings move to within four points of first place with two games in hand.

Picking up the win in the Vikings’ goal was Nick Campbell making 26 saves on 27 shots and suffering the loss in the Hawks’ goal was Brent Pledge Dickson making 55 saves on 60 shots.

Vikings 7 Packers 1: The Casselman Vikings welcomed the Arnprior Packers to the J. R. Brisson Complex on Thurs., Nov. 23, in the CCHL2. The Vikings sat in second place in the Martin Division and were coming off a tough 4-3 loss to the Ottawa West Golden Knights in a game where they outplayed the Knights but couldn’t find the back of the net.

The Packers sat in fourth place in the Richardson Division two points out of third and two points ahead of fifth. The Vikings opened the scoring at just 2:27 into the first period as Olivier Brunet slammed one home from Brad Richardson and Ryan Sabourin to take a 1-0 lead.

The Vikings made it 2-0 when Sebastien Plante sniped one from Brendan Doherty and Kyle Millett at 10:07 and 3-0 at 12:47 as Joseph Health slid one to the back of the net from Samuel Labre. The Vikings power play then went to work and at 17:07 Plante tapped one home from Doherty and Joel Hunt for his second goal of the game.

The Vikings took a 4-0 lead into the first intermission. The Vikings scored the lone goal of the second period as Carter Malette snuck one five hole from Ethan Wensink and Gabriel Rousselle at 11:54 and took a 5-0 lead into the second intermission.

The Vikings took a late penalty in the second period so the Packers began the third period on the power play but it was the Vikings’ rookie forward Danyk Drouin who scored a short-handed goal just 1:12 in and gave the Vikings a 6-0 lead.

The Packers finally got on the scoreboard at 1:59 also on a short-handed goal to make it 6-1. The Vikings closed out the scoring with just 51 seconds remaining in the game as Sabourin batted a onetimer from Richardson and Brunet. The Vikings took the game 7-1 moving to within five points of the Ottawa Canadians in first place with two games in hand. Picking up the win in the Vikings’ goal was Nick Campbell making 18 saves on 19 shots.

Up next: Thurs., Nov. 30, 8 p.m., Vikings vs. Char-Lan Rebels, J. R. Brisson Complex, Casselman; Fri., Dec.1, 8 p.m., Vikings vs. Timberwoves, Ma-te-way Rink, Renfrew.; Sat., Dec. 2, 8 p.m., Vikings vs. Canadians, Carleton Place.