Jeff Moore
Record Staff
MORRISBURG—The Morrisburg Lions played two games this past weekend as they travelled to Metcalfe on Friday night to take on the Jets and welcomed the South Grenville Rangers on Saturday night.
Rangers 6 Lions 5
The Morrisburg Lions welcomed the South Grenville Rangers to the Morrisburg Arena on Sat., Jan. 12, in the NCJHL. The Lions went into the game in fourth place in the West Division, 10 points out of a playoff spot, while the Rangers let two points slip away in their previous game against the Bytown Royals with a 7-6 loss.
The Rangers wasted little time getting on the board as Jared Fenlong scored just 1:29 into the first period from Sam Martin. The Rangers made it 2-0 when Jordan Dodge scored a power play goal from Zach Hotte and Keiran Clement at 2:52 and 3-0 at 3:05 as Chris Row scored from Dodge and Hotte.
The Lions got one back at the four-minute mark as Kevin Doyle slid one home from Kyle Oullette to make it 3-1. The Lions got to within one as Devon Burns snapped one home from Greg McMullen and Justin Shay but with time winding down in the opening frame the Rangers retook a two-goal lead as Jack Finnerty scored from Mathieu Giroux and Fenlong with just 11 seconds remaining. The Rangers took a 4-2 lead into the first intermission.
The Lions got back to within two when Cal Bilmer slapped one home from Graham Robertson and Burns at 12:16 of the second period on the power play.
The Lions tied the game as Burns lit the lamp for the second time of the game from Bilmer on another power play at 15:28. The teams headed to the dressing room for the second intermission deadlocked at four.
The Lions took their first lead of the game when Burns completed his hat trick from Francis Chartrand at 4:38 of the third period on the power play. The Lions held on to the lead until there was just 1:37 on the clock when Row scored his second of the game from Brayden Forestell tying the game at five.
The Rangers took the lead just 27 seconds later as Finnerty scored his second of the game from Martin. The Lions pulled their goalie in favour of an extra attacker but were unable to get one to the back of the net as the Rangers took the game 6-5.
With the win, the Rangers move back to a five point lead over the North Dundas Rockets for first place. Picking up the win in the Rangers’ goal was Sam Limoges Ring, making 34 saves on 39 shots and suffering the loss in the Lions’ goal was Paolo Suppa making 36 saves on 42 shots.
Jets 4 Lions 3
The Morrisburg Lions travelled to the Larry Robinson Arena in Metcalfe on Fri., Jan. 11, to take on the Jets in the NCJHL. The Lions went into the game in fourth place in the West Division, 10 points behind the Jets and two ahead of the West Carleton Inferno.
The Lions opened the scoring just 24 seconds into the first period as Graham Robertson sniped one from Kevin Doyle taking a 1-0 lead. The Jets got that one back when Evan Mantha scored from Tristan Staff and Mark Morrison at 2:51.
Neither team could find the back of the net before the buzzer sounded to end the first period with the teams taking a one-all draw into the first intermission.
The Lions retook the lead at 3:34 of the second period as Cal Bilmer pounded one home from Francis Chartrand on the power play but the Jets answered just 10 seconds later as Zach Nolan scored from Josh Boice and James Horvath tying the game at two.
The Lions retook the lead again when Greg McMullen slid one home from Justin Shay and Doyle at 4:07. The Jets tied the game with just 25 seconds remaining in the middle frame as Aiden Daly scored from Horvath and Boice. The teams took a three-all draw into the second intermission.
The Jets took their first lead of the game when Cameron Gallant scored from Mantha at 2:05. The Lions tried but were unable to even the score before the clock wound down to nil.
The Jets took the game 4-3 moving 10 points ahead of the Lions. Picking up the win in the Jets’ goal was Dominik Turcotte.
Up next
The Morrisburg Lions travel to the Chesterville Arena on Sat., Jan. 19, to take on the North Dundas Rockets at 7:30 p.m.
