The North Dundas Rockets welcomed the Morrisburg Lions to the Joel Steele Community Centre in Winchester on Sun., Sept. 9, in their first preseason game in the NCJHL. The Rockets put some pressure on the Lions early in the game as Will Watson (7) battles with the Lions’ defender and the Rockets’ captain, Brad Stitt looked to tip a shot from the point. The Lions’ goalie, Reilly Phillips tries to track the puck through traffic. The Rockets and Lions battled to a five-all draw.   Moore photo

Jeff Moore
Record Staff
WINCHESTER—The North Dundas Rockets played their first preseason game this past weekend as they played host to the Morrisburg Lions on Sunday afternoon.

Rockets 5 Lions 5

The North Dundas Rockets welcomed the Morrisburg Lions to the Joel Steele Community Centre on Sun., Sept. 9, in their opening game of the preseason in the NCJHL. The Rockets were looking at a lot of new blood heading into their first exhibition game looking for home-grown talent.

The Lions were in the same boat as they were evaluating their own talent. The Rockets opened the scoring at 3:20 as Jack Van Kessel pounded home a rebound on the power play from Connor Roth and Brodie Barkley to take a 1-0 lead.

The Rockets made it 2-0 at 5:52 as Van Kessel scored his second of the game unassisted. The Rockets kept the ball rolling when Kage Hallet scored on a rebound at 8:11 from Carter Tait and McKay Balaton on the power play.

The Lions got one back at 12:08 as Brandan Cameron slid one home from Marc Doyon and Zach Leblanc on the power play to make it 3-1. The Rockets took the 3-1 lead into the first intermission.

The Lions got to within one as Doyon fired one home from Andrew Biancardi at 5:13 of the second period. The Rockets restored their two-goal lead when Justin Lefebvre sniped one from Van Kessel and Matt Robinson on the power play at 14:47.

The Lions got back to within one as Corey McMillan lit the lamp from Hayden Horner and Daron Smith at 17:08. The Lions tied the game when Anthony Caserta blasted one home from Biancardi and Brennan Revell with just 1:46 remaining in the middle frame.

The teams took a two-all draw into the second intermission. The Rockets retook the lead when Will Watson banged one to the back of the net from Brad Stitt and Matt Cowley just seven seconds into the third period making it 5-4.

The Lions got the game even again as Biancardi slapped one home from Justin Shay and Jacob Robinson at 13:29. Neither team was able to seek out the winning goal as the clock wound down with the game ending in a five-all draw.

Playing in goal for the Rockets were Reilly Tondreau in the first period, Bayden Carr in the second and Braden Penberthy in the third and in goal for the Lions was Riley Phillips in the first period, Max Eves in the second and Morgan Penwell in the third.

Up next

The North Dundas Rockets travel to the Morrisburg Arena on Fri., Sept. 14, to take on the Morrisburg Lions at 8:15 p.m.