GATINEAU, QC – The Morrisburg Lions began the 2018-19 season in the National Capital Junior Hockey League with a pair of losses.
First in Gatineau, the Lions played the Vankleek Hill Cougars in the league’s opening showcase at the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau September 22nd.
The Cougars scored early in the first period to take a 1-0 lead when Jonathan Leblanc put the puck past Lions goalie Morgan Penwell less than two minutes into the game.
Late in the first period, Ryan Allen, on a breakaway, found his way past Penwell to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.
Less than two minutes into the second period, Nicolas Castonguay put the Vankleek Hill up 3-0, where they stayed for the remainder of the game. The Cougars hand the Lions their first loss of the regular season.
The Lions went zero-for-six on the power play, but successfully killed each of the three penalties handed to the team.
Sitting out for the Lions were Brennan Revell and Tyler Eldridge, each serving suspensions. Revell was benched for one game, while Eldridge served his first of a three game suspension.
The Lions travelled to Clarence-Rockland the following day to take on the Castors, where offence remained an issue for the team.
Midway through the first period, the Castors scored twice in 12 seconds on Lions starter Penwell, taking a 2-0 lead.
Clarence piled on the goals late in the second period, scoring three times in less than two minutes and extending its lead to 5-0.
Morrisburg changed goalies for the third period, with Riley Phillips taking the place of Penwell between the pipes. Despite that change, the Castors scored twice more in the third period, shutting out the Lions 7-0.
The Lions went zero-for-five on the power play in the game, and allowed one power play goal in seven attempts by the Castors.
Morrisburg hosts a pair of games to kick off their season at home at the Morrisburg Arena starting September 29th.
Up next, the Lions face off against Dundas County rivals, the North Dundas Rockets. After that, the Lions host the South Grenville Rangers in an afternoon game September 30th.
