Morrisburg Jr. C Lions announce award winners

 

B. McNairn-Leader Staff

MORRISBURG–The first weekend under new head coach, Mark Evans, and the Morrisburg Junior B Lions  hung in for an overtime-shoot-out win against the Char-Lan Rebels here on Sunday afternoon.

Lions management announced late last week that they had made a coaching change that saw Evans move into the head coach position, replacing Dan Frawley. Also no longer behind the Lions bench is assistant coach Andrew Scott, who gave up his position due to work commitments.

That leaves Evans with the task of putting together a coaching team, which Lions General Manager Kevin Casselman says he is now busy doing.

“Clearly with only one win in 14 games, things weren’t happening,” explained Casselman of the coaching change. “We felt we needed a change of spirit, and it is easier to change one or two faces than it is to change 25. That’s the nature of the game, and we appreciate the time and commitment Dan put in.”

Casselman says that Sunday’s win was a dose of good medicine for the team. “While we have played well, we haven’t been able to get a win. So Sunday’s, win was very upbeat, very emotional for the boys. This year’s kids are staying positive. They know they have played well. It’s different when you have been blown out of every game, but we haven’t.”

Evans steps into the Lions head coach position with a solid resume. He originally came to the Cornwall area to play hockey with the Cornwall Royals under coach Orval Tessier. He played for three years, two as a defenceman before Tessier moved him to a forward position.

In 1991, he coached in the Seaway Valley Rapids Association at the Bantam Level. Then in 92-93 he became assistant coach of the  Colts, that being the year they moved from Massena to Cornwall. He became the Colts head coach for the 1994-95 season and took them to the CJHL Championship and was voted the league’s Coach of the Year.

After a three year hiatus, he returned to the game, like many dads, to coach his sons in minor hockey. He became familiar to the Lions last year when son Eric was on the roster. This year both Eric and Curtis are Lions.

We put together two really good games on the weekend, says Casselman. Saturday, against Akwesasne, we gave up the third goal with just under three minutes left. It was anyone’s game.

The third goal for the Wolves broke a 2-2 tie and gave them a 3-2 win in their home barn, Saturday.

Hiio Herne opened the scoring for the Wolves late in the first period. The 1-0 lead lasted until 15:09 of the second period when Dallas Blacksmith got the Lions on board to even it.

Then just over three minutes later Christian Leger gave the Lions a 2-1 advantage. 

Three minutes into the third period, Oakley Thomas put the puck past Lions goaltender John Gilmer to again even it up.

At 15:51 Sean David struck to give the Wolves the 3-2 win.

Sunday on Morrisburg ice, Brandon Chilton was in the Lions net for the 6-5 shoot out win.

The Lions led 1-0 after the first period and the game was tied 2-2 after two. It was a high flying third period that saw three goals traded to close the game tied at 5-5. Chilton and Boileau, in net for the Rebels, kept the overtime scoreless and set the stage for the shoot out.

Scoring for the Lions in regulation time were Dallas Blacksmith with two goals, and Taylor Eamon, Isaac Brownlee and Peter Ketcheson with singles. Assists went to Brandon Mullin, Ketcheson, Justin Lefevbre (2), Liam Morrow (2), Kieran Devine and Chris Pearson.

Coming up this weekend the Lions are at home, Saturday night November 23, against the Athens Aeros. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

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After winning their South East Division against the South Grenville #2 Rangers in two straight games, the South Dundas Midget B House Lions, were stopped by the Alexandria Glens in their pursuit of the East Division Championship and the right to advance to the UCMHL championship final.

The Lions played four games of hockey in five days.

In the first two days, Thursday, March 5 and Friday, March 6, they put together 3-2 and 3-1 victories over the Rangers  to win their South East Division Championship.

They saw action against the Glens on Sunday, March 8 in Alexandria, (4-2 loss) and on home ice Monday night, March 9 (7-3 loss) for the Eastern  Championship.

The Glens came out solid in the series opener on Sunday. They went up 2-0 in the first period on goals by Nick Hansen and Nathan Currier.

Alexander McMaster made it 3-0, Glens in the second period.

The Lions got one back early in the third from Kody Arsenault, assisted by Noah Picotte and Jonathan Mayhew, but a Jordan Dunny goal again stretched it out for the Glens with 7:16 left in the game.

The Lions counted their final goal with just over two minutes left, from Trevor Nicolaassen assisted by Ewen Baril in the 4-2 Glens win.

The Lions needed a win to stay alive in game two of the four point series Monday night on home ice, and they hung tough through the first two periods.

The Lions were first on the scoreboard with an unassisted Picotte goal, and they held on until the final minute of the frame.

In that final minute, Brandon Lavern and Nick Leroux both counted to give the Glens a 2-1 edge heading into the second period.

The Glens stretched their lead to 4-1 early in the second, but the Lions charged back in the last two minutes with a pair of goals from Trevor Nicolaassen to keep it close at 4-3.

Just over 3:13 into the third period the Glens’ Laverne counted to make it 5-3. He added two more as the Glens skated to the 7-3 victory and the East championship series win.

The Lions claimed their Division (southeast) championship in two straight games against the South Grenville #2 Rangers.

The series kicked off Thursday, March 5 in Cardinal, with a 3-2 Lions win. 

Tyler Nelson had a big night, scoring all three of the Lions goals while Logan Hummel provided an assist on each. Trevor Nicolaassen helped out on goal number one and Cassie Hummel earned an assist on the second.

After a scoreless first period, Nelson put the Lions up 2-0 in the second period

The Rangers charged back in the third to tie it 2-2, with goals from Austin Mott and Zach Illingworth.

That set the stage for the winner from Nelson with 1:39 left in the game.

Game two was played in Morrisburg on Friday night, with the Lions claiming a 3-2 win to wrap up the series.

Again it was a scoreless first period.

Austin Mott got the lone Rangers goal midway into the second period, but his effort was quickly cancelled by a Logan Hummel goal assisted by Nicolaassen and Nelson.

Action settled down and it wasn’t until the final five minutes of the game that the Lions were able to break away from the 1-1 tie.

Austin Robinson, unassisted, made it 2-1 with 4:39 left in the game and Nelson, assisted by Logan Hummel added the insurance with 1:26 left.

The series win put the Lions against Alexandria for the East Division championship.

The Midget B House playoff setup saw the top three teams in each division get a first-round bye while the fourth and fifth place teams played for fourth spot.

After they sat out their first round bye, the Lions defeated NGS2 in a three point series

That win put them against South Grenville 2 for the Southeast Division championship.

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CORNWALL – The Eastern Ontario Health Unit region, which includes SDG Counties, Cornwall and Presc0tt-Russell, will move into the Yellow zone under the province’s new colour-coded COVID-19 framework. The framework was announced by the Ontario […]