CARP/MORRISBURG – The Morrisburg Lions held on in the third period to salvage a tie against the West Carleton Inferno January 5th in Carp. Morrisburg entered the arena on a 12 game winless streak, with their last win October 28th. That win was a 5-3 match against the Inferno. West Carleton were bouyed by their 4-3 win over the Metcalfe Jets the night before, only the second win this season for the Inferno.
Morrisburg took a 1-0 lead 12 minutes into the game when Cal Bilmer set up Zenin Biron for his first goal of the season. Graham Robertson added two goals five minutes apart early in the second period to put the Lions up 3-0 over the Inferno. Bilmer made it 4-0 Lions at the half way point in the game off a pass from Devin Burns. The goal is Bilmer’s sixth of the season. Morrisburg led West Carleton 4-0.
Starting late in the second period, the Inferno scored three unanswered goals on Lions goalie Paulo Suppa, including two in the third period, to tie the game 4-4.
The teams were log-jammed 4-4 at the end of the third period and remained so after five minutes of three-on-three overtime. Each team drew a point for the standings. Morrisburg remains in fourth in the NCJHL standings, West Carleton two points behind in last place.
Morrisburg finished their weekend tilt with a 9-5 loss at the hands of the North Dundas Rockets January 6th. This was the fifth match in the season series between the Dundas County rivals, with the Rockets leading the series three games to one.
The Rockets took an early 1-0 lead when Connor Roth scored 1:41 into the game. North Dundas extended that lead to 2-0 late in the period on a power play. Tom Fingler and Hugo Lusignan combined and set up Cameron Brown for his fifth goal of the season.
North Dundas extended their lead further in the second period when Dylan Robinson found the back of Morrisburg’s net just over a minute in. But the Lions answered back three minutes later.
Biron and Zach Leblanc set up Burns for the Lions first goal of the game. Francis Chartrand added another goal three minutes later, set up by Burns, putting the Lions back in it. Morrisburg trailed North Dundas 3-2.
Roth put the Rockets back up ahead by two goals midway through the second period. That lasted under a minute before Burns scored for the Lions. Morrisburg trailed North Dundas 4-3.
Burns tied the game for the Lions with three-and-a-half minutes left in the period. That tie lasted all of nine seconds when off the draw, Carter Tait put the Rockets back into the lead 5-4. North Dundas led 6-4 after 40 minutes, Matt Cowley scored on a power play in the final two minutes of the second period.
The Rockets scored three times in the third period, with Roth completing his hat trick, along with goals by Brad Stitt and Justin Lefebvre.
Leblanc scored the lone goal for Morrisburg in the third period. The Lions fell to the Rockets 9-5.
Burns had four points for the Lions with three goals and one assist. Roth had five points for the Rockets with three goals and two assists.
Rockets goalie Reilly Tondreau claimed the win in net, his 11th of the season. Lions goalie Riley Phillips picked up his eighth loss of the season.
The Lions were out shot 41-31 in the game.
Morrisburg faces two challenges in the NCJHL west division this weekend.
On January 11th, the team will travel to Metcalfe to take on the Jets, followed by hosting the division leaders, the South Grenville Rangers on January 12th.
The Lions are eight points behind the Jets for the final playoff spot this season with 10 games remaining in the season.
