MORRISBURG – The Morrisburg Lions picked up three of four possible points this past weekend, playing a home-and-home series against the last place West Carleton Inferno. Morrisburg was on a three game losing streak heading into the weekend, while the Inferno were six games into the season without a win.
Starting in Carp October 27th, the Inferno took an early 1-0 lead on a goal by Ryan Nugent on Lions’ starting goaltender Riley Phillips. Austin Hutt made it 2-0 for the Inferno five minutes later.
Lions captain Zach Leblanc put the team on the scoreboard halfway through the period, set up by Jacob Robinson and Graham Robertson. Francis Chartrand tied the game at 2-2 two minutes later off a pass from Cal Bilmer.
Late in the period, West Carleton retook the lead when Colin Geurgon scored. After 20 minutes, the Lions trailed the Inferno 3-2.
Early in the second period, Burns scored in the dying seconds of a Lions power play to tie the game up 3-3. Ten minutes later, Leblanc and Hayden Hoerner set up Burns for the go ahead goal with 7:33 left in the period. Lions led the Inferno 4-3 going into the third period.
Tempers flared up between the two teams in the third period with both collecting multiple penalties. After collecting three points in the game, Burns was sent out from the Lions, as was forward Brandon Cameron. From the Inferno, Jensen Tysick was turfed, while Cameron Duhn and Matt Luye did multiple stints in the “Sin Bin” in the period. The penalties gave the Inferno a chance to tie the game, which Kyle Dykes took advantage of with 6:38 left in the game.
After the end of regulation, the teams entered a five-minute overtime but neither team were able to score. The Lions and Inferno drew even with a final score of 4-4, each earning a point.
The series moved to the Morrisburg Arena October 28th, with an improved outcome for the Lions, a 5-3 win.
Burns opened the scoring for the Lions with an early goal, three minutes in, giving the team a 1-0 lead. West Carleton took the lead after Hutt potted one early in the period, and Geurgon late in the period. The Lions trailed the Inferno 2-1 after the first period.
Early in the second period and still down 2-1, Morrisburg pulled their goalie for an extra man advantage, while already playing with a five-on-three advantage thanks to two Inferno players in the penalty box. The six-on-three advantage did not yield any scoring for the Lions in that opportunity.
Leblanc scored the first of three goals late in the second period on a power play, the first with 6:54 remaining in the period. Zenin Biron and Burns assisted on that goal. Then, 45 seconds later, Leblanc scored again on a power play, this time assisted by Marc Antoine Doyon and Biron. Morrisburg led until there was 40 seconds left in the period when Bourgeau tied the game at 3-3.
The Lions extinguished the Inferno’s offence late in the third period. Leblanc finished his hat-trick with yet another power play goal with 5:32 left in the game, giving the Lions a 4-3 lead. Chartrand and Robertson had the assist for that goal.
Burns bookended the game, scoring the final goal, an empty netter with 1:00 left on the clock. The Lions beat the Inferno 5-3 and come away from the weekend with three points. They sit in third place in the West Division, five points back of the first place South Grenville Rangers.
The team travels to Chesterville November 3rd to play their lone game of the week, taking on the North Dundas Rockets.
