Braves defeat Atom B Rep Lions in season opener

Three games in just over a week and the Dundas Bantam House girls put up a one win-two loss record.

Dundas opened their week’s action on the road where they gave up a 6-1 loss to Carleton Place on Saturday, October 6.

Then on Saturday, October 13, they were on the road to Smiths Falls where they righted themselves with a big 7-0 victory.

For game three, on Sunday, October 14, Dundas recorded their second loss, when they hosted Clarence Rockland and came out on the wrong side of a 3-0 count.

Kalleigh Young, with help from Cassandra Young and Brynn Gilmour, counted the lone goal against Carleton Place late in the first period.

The Dundas lead held until well into the second frame when Carleton Place turned it up a notch for three unanswered counters. They added another three in the third for the 6-1 victory.

Then in Smith Falls on Saturday, it was a totally different story.

Taylor Casselman pointed the girls towards the 7-0 victory with the loan goal of the first period.

In the second period, Dundas went up 4-0. Brynn Gilmour kicked it off with help from Emma Barkley and Anna Gruich.

Barkley and Gruich then put it together to assist Emily Byers for goal number three. Barkley finished off the period scoring with help from Byers and Gilmour.

Early in the third period, Ally Weegar pushed it to 5-0 with help from Cassandra Young and Kalleigh Young.

The line struck again with 3:53 left on the clock this time with Kalleigh Young scoring and Cassandra Young and Weegar providing the help.

Weegar gave Dundas the 7-0 win with an unassisted counter in the last minute of the game.

Dundas was unable to get much of anything going against Clarence Rockland on Sunday, as the latter counted three unanswered first period goals for the 3-0 win.

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The Morrisburg Junior B Lions produced one win in three tries in exhibition action this past weekend, and coach Mark Evans says they are looking forward to the start of the season this coming weekend.

“It looked very good on the weekend,” says Evans. “We had a couple of break downs, but overall we are very happy with where the team is right now. We are more talented and have way more potential than last year. Things are really looking up.”

On the weekend, the Lions played in three exhibition games. They won Friday night against Akwesasne 3-0 and were handed two losses, 7-2 by the Brockville Tikis, Saturday and 5-1 by the Char-Lan Rebels, Sunday.

At this early stage Evans is not worried about the losses and says the Lions will be making good use of two practises on home ice (last night Tuesday, September 16 and tonight) to “go over our specialty teams. In  Junior B hockey you can really make a difference when you successfully kill penalties, as well as being successful on your power plays.”

The Lions have now signed eight returning veteran players. They are running with upwards of 12 first year players and have signed overagers (and all former Lions) Dallas Blacksmith, Justin Lefebvre and Michael Paquette.

Also back on a card is veteran goaltender John Gilmour, who kept in shape this summer playing in the newly formed CDHL development league for the Nepean Jr. A Raiders.

Gilmour is joined by newcomer Kieran Weir, an 18 year old goaltender from Ottawa who came up through the Ottawa West Golden Knights Minor Hockey and Ottawa Sting AA programs. Last year, Weir played for the West End Wolverines Major Midget A team and this past summer he played CDHL development league for the Ottawa Jr. A Senators.

The Lions have signed four, 16-year-olds to cards including defenceman Brody Barkley and defence/forward Cole Fowler, both from the South Dundas Minor Hockey system, forward Landon Veenstra from the South Stormont system and Jacob Kendrick a forward who comes from Ottawa. 

“We are going to be focussing on our systems and specialty teams this week, and see if we can’t start off the season on a good note,” says Evans.

The Lions open the 2014-15 season on the road this Friday night, September 19 when they travel to Alexandria to take on the Glens at 8 p.m.

They open their home season Saturday night, when their longtime rivals from the north, the Winchester Hawks come to town. Game time this Saturday night is 7:30 p.m. 

“We are looking to be very competitive this year,” says Evans.

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Looking for their first win of the season, the South Dundas Bantam B Rep Lions hosted the Brockville Braves here on Wednesday night. 

Winless in their first 10 games, the Lions have been closing the gap, game after game, and were looking for a break through on offence to get the job done. And get the job done they did with a 5-3 victory.

The Lions opened the scoring early in the first period when Edward Orendi shot home a Quinn Bennis rebound. Picking up the assist on the play was Josh Perry.

The Braves responded one minute later but before the period ended the Lions struck again. This time the Lions goal came from the stick of Aaron Smith who took a pass from Matthew Woolsey and one timed it home for a 2-1 Lions lead. Drew Minish picked up the second assist.

In the second period, Braves centreman Jack Gibbons set up Damon Brown who beat Lions goaltender Christian Francis to even the game, 2-2. 

Francis responded with several keys saves in the period to allow the Lions to go back in front. 

The Braves found themselves in penalty trouble which gave the Lions a 5 on 3 advantage and resulted in

Quinn Bennis blasting a slap shot home. 

Riley Black and Aaron Smith provided some excellent passing plays along the outside to set Bennis up for the one timer.

In the third, the Braves again tie the game, (3-3), but the Lions would not be denied as they scored twice before the period ended.

Drew Minish got one while the Lions were short handed when he stole the puck in the neutral zone and the other would came from Ben Michels assisted by Edward Orendi. 

The 5-3 victory ended the Lions winless streak and gave the Bantam B Lions momentum heading into their game on Saturday, during Lions Day.

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