MORRISBURG – It was a streak that needed to be broken. The Morrisburg Lions snapped their 17-game losing streak with a 7-3 win over the West Carleton Inferno January 4th.
It was the first game back for the Lions from the Christmas break, and the debut of local hockey player Griffin Patterson.
Patterson, who recently was traded from the Westport Rideaus to the Char-Lan Rebels in the CCHL2, will play the balance of the season for the Lions.
Already up 1-0 early in the first period (Justice Brownlee from Jake Amo), Patterson added immediate scoring power with a pair of unassisted goals just 20 seconds part. The Lions led 3-0 only 10 minutes into the game.
The Inferno managed to score a power play goal later in the period but the Lions still led by two goals at the end of 20 minutes.
Brownlee restored Morrisburg’s three goal lead with his unassisted goal less than two minutes into the second period. Linemate Jake Amo rounded out the Lions’ scoring in the period with his goal (from Brownlee and Carter Tait) four minutes later. Morrisburg led West Carleton 5-1 going into the third period.
Wade Moak (from Brownlee and Tait) and Tanner Barnett (from Amo and Brownlee) scored in the third period, while the Inferno got two goals back late in the period.
Morrisburg celebrated its first win in two months, and snapped a 17-game losing streak. Brownlee had five points in the game (two goals, three assists). Lions’ netminder Riley Phillips earned his second win of the season between the pipes.
Hull-Volant 14 – Lions 1
Following their second win of the season, the Lions traveled to Gatineau to take on the Hull-Volant. Gatineau was leading the NCJHL East division going into the game, and picked up two more points at the expense of Morrisburg.
The Hull-Volant flew to a commanding 6-0 lead in the first period and added six more goals in the second period. Lions D-man Gregory McMullen’s unassisted goal in the third period spoiled the Hull-Volant’s shutout attempt. Still Gatineau handed Morrisburg their second 13-goal loss of the season as the team scored twice more in the period.
From the best team in the East, to the best team in the West, the Lions will travel to Cardinal January 10th to take on the first place South Grenville Rangers.
Morrisburg will host the Bytown Royals on January 11th at the Morrisburg Arena. Puck drop is at 7:15 p.m.
