Sports

 

The South Dundas “Pizza Hut” Atom B Rep Lions were defeated in their opener here on Saturday night at the hands of the visiting NGS Braves. The Lions who were 1-2-1 in exhibition play coming off a win last week against South Stormont couldn’t survive the offensive pressure of the Braves, 5-1.

With the score 2-1 Braves half way through the third period, the Lions looked to tie the game up but were set back on their heels by the Braves offense. 

The Lions gave up three goals in just over a minute to put the game away. 

Braves forward Barret Rutters completed his hat trick with goals eight seconds apart, one on a passing play and the other one on a break from centre. 

The Braves forwards drove the net and isolated the Lions defenceman allowing forwards to find themselves wide open and able to get their passes through on consecutive plays.

Lions goaltender Brendan Shaver was strong throughout the game and made lots of keys saves early, but with the score 1-1 in the second period and the Lions on the power play, Braves forward M. Brownlee broke down the Lions wing and wristed a shot off the post and off Shavers left pad into the net to give the Braves the lead. 

The Lions tried to respond later in the period when Jack Connors received a pass from Owen Fetterly and skated freely into the Braves zone before wristing a shot over the net.

In the first period, the Lions came out strong and carried the play grabbing an early lead on a line change. 

Jayden Rowe and Jaeden Phifer-Shaver got caught up on the bench and the puck hit Phifer-Shaver. Ben Lapier picked it up and stick handled across the ice into the Braves end to beat both defenceman before putting a move on the Braves goalie to open him so he could slide home a backhand shot through the five hole. 

Later in the game Lapier broke down the right wing and send a cross ice pass onto the stick of Joshua Broad, but he was robbed as the Braves goaltender Tyson Zollinger stuck out his right pad.

Defenceman pairing of Dana Domanko and Emytt Fetterly and Nathen Verhey and Kieran Geurkink continued to improve their defensive play and were able to get some shots at the Braves netminder to create scoring chances for the Lions forwards. 

Brody Fairbairn and Duncan Hutt teamed up on one play to get Fairbairn open in the slot before he slid a shot pass the right leg and post. 

Nolan Henry was the defensive forward of the game as he continued his strong back checking while creating offensive chances.

The South Dundas “Pizza Hut” Atom B Rep Lions will face the Char-lan Rebels here on Thursday night at 7pm, as they look for their first points of the season. Come out and support your Lions!

[…]

 

It’s too early for snowmobiling, but it’s not too early to get ready for the upcoming season.

The third annual Riverside Snowmobile Club snowmobile show is set to take place October 20 at the Riverside Clubhouse, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

The event is a great opportunity for snowmobilers, snowmobile enthusiasts, those who are curious about snowmobiling or anyone at all to enjoy a few minutes or a few hours at the clubhouse browsing the snow vehicles that will be on site that day in the beautiful setting of the Riverside Clubhouse, in the midst of the fall foliage.

“You never know what you will see at the show,” says club president Dave Shaver. “But if past events are any indication, this should be a great show. Our club’s executive has worked really hard to get the word out about this year’s event.”

For those who want to bring a snowmobile to the display, the show is open to any sled, any make or model and any year, he explains.

“A lot of people have some really interesting, unique pieces,” said Shaver. “We want to encourage them to bring them to the show.  Maybe your passion is racing. If you have a race sled, bring it to the show, there are show categories for them too. Vintage sleds your thing? We definitely want to see them too.”

The club’s first show had one of the largest and most interesting displays of vintage sleds around, from the most common manufacturers and a few of the lesser known. “We are hoping to at least match that impressive display.”

For those with more current tastes, there will be lots at the show for you too. There are show classes for all sleds from the vintage era to current model years. 

“While there is a lot of interesting old stuff out there, I know there is also a lot of really interesting newer stuff too,” says Shaver. “There are a lot of guys with special order sleds or who have exceptionally well kept sleds or who have added some neat aftermarket stuff, and we want to see them too.”

To register a sled, simply bring it out to the show, since there is no cost to participate. Every participant will receive a dash plaque to commemorate the occasion and they may even be a class winner and take home a trophy.

Area snowmobile dealers will have displays on site and will also compete against each other for the best display plaque.

While the show has attracted a good display of sleds in its first two years, what has been lacking is the crowds to enjoy the show. “We are hoping to change that this year,” says Shaver who encourages the sledding community and the community at large to drop by and enjoy the show. 

Admission is free.

[…]

 

Two games into the regular season, the Morrisburg Lions are holding the St. Lawrence Division’s third spot behind the first place Char-Lan Rebels who have collected 10 points and the  Casselman Vikings in second with seven.

The Lions are holding third place with six points, two of which they posted this past weekend in Morrisburg, on Sunday, when they overwhelmed the Alexandria Glens, 6-0, in a shutout performance by goaltender Ryan Cooper.

The Glens felt the wrath of the Lions who were picking themselves up from a crushing 7-2 loss to the Winchester Hawks in their nest Friday night. While the Lions were out for revenge, and working hard, the Glens were unable to get much of anything together.

Of the six Lions goals, four were scored on their power play against Glen’s goaltender Anthony Vassall.

Lions veteran sharpshooter Michel Lefebvre counted three of the Lions goals and provided one assist. Single goals came from the sticks of Sylvester Bzdyl, Chris Rutley and Clarke Veenstra.

Grant Cooper had a good game providing two assists, while Dillon Lapier, Michael Poapst, Zach Seguin and Ty Hodgson all added single assists.

After a scoreless first period, the Lions built a 3-0 lead in the second period, all goals scored on their power play.

Michel Lefebvre got it rolling (from Cooper and Rutley) and then Sylvester Bzdyl (from Lefebvre and Hodgson) made it 2-0 on a nice play from a face off in the Glens end.

Goal number three, assisted by Michael Poapst and Zach Sequin, started with some tough work in the corner and resulted in a nice pass to the waiting stick of Clarke Veenstra at the corner of the Glens net.

The Lions kept it rolling in the third period when Lefebvre counted his second with help from Lapier. 

At 10:45 Lefebvre struck again, this time with help from Hodgson and Bzdyl, and Chris Rutley polished it off when he picked up his own rebound and put it home to end the game in the Lions favour 6-0. Assists on the Rutley goal went to Lefebvre and Grant.

Ryan Cooper had a solid performance in the Lions net stopping all of the 26 Glens shots. The Glens’ Vassall gave up the six goals on 33 Lions shots.

The Lions handled nine minor penalties and a (checking from behind) game misconduct while Alexandria was assessed six minors and nabbed three times for checking from behind.

In Winchester on Friday night, it was a whole other game as the Hawks were out to revenge themselves for the 6-2 loss handed to them by the Lions on Morrisburg ice on Sunday, September 16.

And it was revenge they got, as they went to work for a 2-1 first period lead and stretched it to 4-1 after two.

Zach Sequin put the Lions on the scoreboard with help from Brent Snowboy and Sylvester Bzdyl at 18:33 of the first period.

That only served to spark the Hawks who counted a pair of goals against Lions goaltender Mikael Dion in a span of just 11 seconds in the last minute of the period.

Less than two minutes into the second period, Jamie Olivier scored unassisted for the Hawks and at 11:16 Josh Stubbings upped the Hawks advantage to 4-1.

Stubbings made it 5-1 early into the third period, before the Lions got one back from Eric Evans with help from Brandon Chaffe and Curtis Pilon.

The Hawks polished it off with two more from Christopher Rossi and Brandon Bourgeois (power play) for their 7-2 win.

In other action this week the Hawks lost 3-2 to Casselman on Thursday night.

They have edged to within one point of the third place Lions, while Alexandria is in fifth with four points and Akwesasne is in the basement with two.

Coming up this weekend, the Lions will host the Akwesasne Wolves on Friday night, October 5. Game time is 8:30 p.m. Then on Saturday night they are on the road to play the Char-Lan Rebels.

[…]

 

When Krista Boyce and Evan Mullin look back on their summer adventures for 2012, one item that will be on top of their list will be their experiences as volunteers at the Great Waterway Golf Classic, Canadian Tour event played at the Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course, September 3-9.

For Krista, who grew up around the Prescott Golf Course and who started the game as a junior player, the call for volunteers for the Classic gave her the opportunity to show her son Evan, 14, a different side of the game.

“He has always only golfed with us in fun stuff, so I wanted him to see what the game is about and what it can be at the competitive level. I wanted him to learn the etiquette of golf and how to behave on a golf course, to experience the gentleman part of the game.”

Although Krista had initially intended for Evan to apply to be a caddy, when  he was accepted, she was approached to also volunteer and ended up working the leader board.

Although Evan is not a member of a golf club, Krista, a one-time, competitive 17 handicapper, has returned to play out of her hometown Prescott Club after taking time off with her young family and later playing briefly at the Morrisburg and Cedar Glen courses.

She says the experience at the Classic was great, for her and Evan and for her daughter, Jessica, 20, who volunteered in the hospitality side of the tournament. 

“Evan is so excited about golf now,” says Krista. “The tournament was so well down. I can’t wait for it to come to Upper Canada next summer. They were the upcoming young golfers and people should go and watch them play.”

“It was just amazing. They came from everywhere across Canada and from universities in the United States.”

To be a caddy in the Great Waterway Classic, Evan was provided four hours of training and a tour around the beautiful 6,502 yard, Smuggler’s Glen layout.  “He was basically taught to pick up, keep up and shut up,” says Krista with a laugh. 

Evan was caddy for Matt Hoffman and although Hoffman, an amateur, did not make the cut, Evan thoroughly enjoyed his two days on the course with him. Hoffman did not mind talking during his round and gave Evan lots of tips and hints says Krista.

“It was quite a show. It was something just to be able to be involved in it. It was good for Evan. We talked about it all the way home, both days. I can’t wait for Upper Canada.”

The Great Waterway Classic, Canadian Tour event was new to the region and involved some 250 volunteers from across Ontario. The tournament was won by Eugene Wong of North Vancouver. 

As a local component, a Chase the Dream series of qualifying events were played to enable golfers from the Waterway Region the opportunity to earn one of four exemptions. Although he did not earn a spot, Prescott golfer Phil Patterson had the best results locally.

The final domestic stop on the Canadian Tour, the Classic is scheduled for at Upper Canada Golf Course in 2013, the Loyalist Golf and Country Club at Bath in 2014, and the Black Bear Ridge Golf Course in Belleville in 2015.

The Great Waterway Tourism Region of Southeastern Ontario stretches from Belleville to Cornwall.

[…]

Ten athletes from a team of 60 that represented District 8 at the Ontario Summer Senior Games in Brampton, August 15-16, returned home bearing medals and among them was Morrisburg golfer Monique Patenaude.

Patenaude collected a silver medal in the ladies A flight division with a 36 hole net score of 160.

On the opening day the 21 handicapper shot a 103 for an 82 net and on the second round she posted a 99 (78 net) on what she described as a “very beautiful, but very difficult Masters course at the Lion Head Golf and Country Club.

The Masters Course plays to 5,392 yards from the ladies red tees and its difficulty is indicated through its slope rating of 131.

“It was probably one of the nicest courses I have ever played,” said  Patenaude who, as an avid golfer, has played her share of courses, and “probably one of the hardest courses I have ever played.”

“There were a lot of bunkers and long rough. On most holes, from 130 yards in, you had to carry rough or sand traps. That’s why I found it so difficult. I am not a long ball hitter.”

Patenaude said that generally the scores were high for both the men’s and women’s field.

The women’s A flight win went in a 36 hole net score of 150 (a pair of 75 nets) to Loretta Czernis.

While Patenaude was working her way to the A flight silver medal, Cedar Glen golfer, Elise Muir of Long Sault claimed a gold medal in B flight.

With that win Muir qualified for the Summer Nationals coming up in 2014.

Patenaude and Muir began their journey to the provincial championship  in a qualifier organized by Ann Cook at Cedar Glen.

“We had about 50 or so players for the District 8 qualifier,” said Patenaude who with husband Andy, has now joined the Senior Games board of directors for this area. District 8 covers Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Prescott-Russell and Akwesasne. 

The qualifier included A and B flights and a Calloway scored division.

In A flight, Patenaude won gold with a 90, Lynn Shaw was second and Susan McIntosh scored a Bronze Medal. Shaw and McIntosh are both  Cedar Glen members.

Muir won B flight and Lise Steinburg (Morrisburg) was the Callaway winner.

The winners in each category advanced to the provincial although Steinburg was unable to attend and was replaced by silver medallist Pam McTear.

Patenaude has been competing in the seniors games (golf) for several years and says it is a wonderful experience.  The games are always well run and you meet a lot of people.

“I recommend getting involved in the games to anybody,” says Patenaude.

In order to participate athletes must pay a $12 yearly membership fee and that covers both summer and winter events.

In addition to golf, summer events include bid euchre, bocce, bowling, contract bridge, cribbage, cycling, darts, shuffleboard, lawn bowling, pickleball, slo-pitch, swimming, tennis and walking. Some events use prediction times.

Other District 8 medallists were Beverley Ray and Jackie Merpaw of Cornwall-gold in Cribbage; Susan Kersley (65 plus) and Donna Magher (55 plus) both of Williamstown-bronze medals in swimming; Murray MacLeod and Michel Cadieux of Cornwall -bronze in men’s 55 plus pickleball doubles; and Linda and Graham Vickers of Alexandria who won silver and bronze respectively in 55 plus prediction cycling.

With the summer games now over, the local executive of the Ontario Senior Games Association is busy making plans for the upcoming winter games. Gold medal winners in the local games will qualify to go to Huntsville in February for the Ontario 55 plus Winter Games (previously Winterfest).

The local senior games committee is also planning to host the Eastern Ontario Regional Games next August when over 600 competitors from Eastern Ontario will take part in 15 different events.

Local seniors are invited to contact Andy and Monique Patenaude at 543-3453 or andyandmonique@sympatico.ca for more information.

[…]

With the 2012 racing season pretty well over locally, Luke Whitteker and Whitteker Motorsports team have their eyes on one more race this season in the Race 101 pavement Late Model.  

After winning the premier driver awards for Race 101 at the beginning of 2012, Whitteker earned his shot at racing on the pavement, and after getting rained out the first two attempts he made his debut last month with an impressive top 10 finish.  

He will be looking to improve on that when he returns next week.

On Saturday, September 29th, Whitteker will return to Southern National Speedway in Kenly, North Carolina in the Race 101 prepared Super Late Model.  

He will arrive in North Carolina a couple days earlier to assist in getting the car ready, and will have a full day of testing at Southern National Speedway the day before the race.

Whitteker has been busy since the beginning of September, continuing his studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, and racing his experimental Bicknell car as time permits.  

Recently, he finished a weekend of racing at Mohawk International Raceway where he competed in both the Big Block Super DIRTcar Series 100 lap race as well as the 75 lap 358 Modified Series.  

Whitteker had a strong run going early in the Big Block race before the tires began to lose grip on the dry slick racing surface and he ended up 16th.  

The frustrations continued later in the evening in the 358 Modified Series, and was credited with a 25th place result.

After he returns from North Carolina, Whitteker’s schedule for the rest of the 2012 season is still unclear.  He will be focusing on school, and may get out for one more race weekend as Brockville Speedway hosts their 1000 Islands RV DIRTcar Northeast Fall Nationals on October 13th and 14th.  

[…]

The Iroquois Lawn Bowling Club enjoys a very long history and to keep that history going, the members are hoping to increase their numbers for the 2013 season.

With just 15 full-time members and a handful of casual players, the club is struggling to stay alive in what they claim is a game that people of all ages can enjoy.

“The problem is to get some younger people interested,” says club president Terry Triskle. “They think it is a game for old fogies.”

Fact is, it is a great game that can be played by all ages at various levels of skill. It requires no equipment, unless one wishes to own his/her own bowls. It is played outdoors and can be played anytime during the day and in the evening under lights.

There is all sorts of strategy and skill is developed in the throwing of the bowls.

The Iroquois Club gets together three nights per week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) but if there were enough members who wanted to set up other times on other days that is certainly a possibility.

Currently, teams are put together the night of play, but with more numbers there could actually be league play.

Triskle points out that the membership fee has been set at $150 for the 2013 season which will stretch from early May and run well into October, weather permitting.

In the past, the lawn bowling turf was cared for by the greens staff of the Iroquois golf course.

That ended two years ago when the golf club went under private contract and so the members are now caring for the turf. The grass is kept shorter than golf course greens but is maintained in exactly the same way…fertilizing, mowing, aerating etc.

“Actually we are more particular about our green. In golf, you want undulations, but we want our green completely flat. The grass is kept shorter, and we want the surface to be hard. An ideal green is brown in the summer.”

The club purchased some mowing equipment last year and it has several sets of bowls that, over the years, have been donated by retiring members.

The main yearly expenses are for fertilizer and work on the greens and maintenance on the equipment.

Thursday night (September 13), the club was host to eight visiting Prescott lawn bowlers. They enjoyed, not just the wonderfully warm evening and great conditions at Iroquois, but a wonderful view of the St. Lawrence.

 “Basically, what we need is members,” says Triskle. “We have good members who are very active. They help out and they play, but we just don’t have enough.”

[…]

It took just 10 seconds and it was just what the doctor ordered here Sunday afternoon as the Morrisburg Junior B Lions scored off the opening face of the third period to post their fifth goal of the game and reclaim a two-goal lead against the visiting CharLan Rebels.

Although the St. Lawrence Division’s first-place Rebels would get one back at 6:28 of the third to tighten the gap to 5-4, that would be all they would get from Lions goaltender Mikael Dion.

The 5-4 win, their second consecutive, gives the Lions a 2-1 record for four points and puts them in third place in the St. Lawrence division, tied with the Alexandria Glens. The Rebels lead the division with six points (three wins-one loss) and Casselman is second with five points (two wins-two ties).

For the first time in a long time, the Winchester Hawks find themselves in the division basement with two points (one win-three losses), while the Akwesasne Wolves have two points (one win-two losses) to hold fifth spot.

The Rebels were first on the scoreboard in Sunday’s game with a goal from Nick Senseverino at 1:12 of the first period.

Thirteen seconds later the Lions, Michel Lefebvre evened it with help from Clark Veenstra and Sylvester Bzdyl and that was it until well into the second period when the Rebels went up 2-1 on a power-play goal from Dean Derouchie.

Once again the Rebels goal roused the Lions and this time it took Chris Rutley just 17 seconds to even it (2-2) with Grant Cooper and Michael Poapst providing the assists.

The momentum stayed with the Lions who went to work for their first lead in the game on their power play. Scoring at 8:07 was Curtis Pilon with Matt Marcel assisting.

The Lions held on to the 3-2 advantage until 11:58, when once again their power play came through, this time with Lefebvre counting (his second of the game) and Clarke Veenstra providing his second assist for a 4-2 Lions lead.

As the minutes ticked away on the second period, the Rebels managed to tighten the gap to 4-3 on a Quinlin MacDonnell goal.

The third period opened with the Michael Poapst goal off the opening face off won by Chris Rutley (to Grant Cooper).

Tyler Filion scored the Rebels final goal at 6:28 of the third and the Lions held on for the 5-4 win.

Robbie Chapman was in net for the Rebels loss. Shots on net were fairly even with the Rebels out-shooting the Lions 32-30. 

One hundred and fifteen minutes in penalties were handed out in the game, 66 of them to the Rebels. The second period saw four, five-minute fighting majors (two separate instances) and game misconducts handed out. The Rebels drew a third fighting major (and misconduct) with just over one minute left in the third period.

Coming up this weekend, the Lions have two games scheduled. Friday night (September 28) they travel to Winchester for an 8:15 p.m. game against the Hawks, and Sunday they are at home to the Alexandria Glens. Game time is 2:30 p.m.

[…]

”Everyone rode really great,” says Sarabeau Stables owner Sandy Marcellus of her six riders who represented her stable at the Ontario Trillium Championship at the Caledon Equestrian Park at Palgrave, Ontario, September 5-9. 

In just her second season of operation, Marcellus has been impressed with the steady improvement of her riders, which resulted in four qualifiers for the provincial final last year, and six this year.

“We brought home a few ribbons,” says Marcellus. “We did well.”

Leading the riders was Marcellus’ daughter Rayanna.

Riding Morganfield, an experienced 18 year old thoroughbred gelding, Rayanna picked up third place ribbons in the Children’s Medal and A Equitation Over Fences categories.

“Both Morganfield and Rayanna rode well They were tough divisions,” said Sarabeau trainer  Cheryl Levere.

Then on Piccolini, a 10 year old large Arabian Welsh pony, Rayanna placed sixth in the Hunter Classic which saw over 84 competitors.

Levere explains that the Classic feature more jumps and more difficult turns. “It tests both horse and rider. A sixth place finish was really good. I didn’t really expect she would do that well, mostly because of the way Piccolini was showing before that. It was really good. The pony pulled  it together and Rayanna pulled it together.”

“Last year they had a complete melt down and that was scarey to watch.”

Rayanna added that “I was really happy. I knew I had a good ride, but I didn’t expect my score.”

Also riding well was Troy Webb, 14, of Ingleside on Morganfield. In just his second year of riding, and his first experience at such a high level of competition, Webb had fifth and 10th place finished in Modified Children’s out of 48 competitors.

“Troy had a good classic round,” says Levere. “He rode the way we planned,” and that was in spite of the heavy rain that marked the day.

Levere describes 14 year old Serena Armstrong’s ride  on My Time to Shine in the Medium Pony Hunter division as “really, really good. It was Serena’s first year doing Hunter and the pony’s first show season. They pulled it together and they did the job.”

The job resulted in a 10th place finish in Medium Pony Hunter.

Also riding was big sister Brianna on Shez Justa Dream. Brianna picked herself up after a fall (and a resulting trip to the hospital) during her Children’s Hunter ride to complete her ride in Children’s Classic.

“Brianna came back, She was sore but she got on the horse and did her Classic,” said  Levere. “Shez Justa Dream is a small horse and at Caledon, the lines are there for bigger horses, so the horse just physically couldn’t do it.”

“When you get to Trillium, the jumps are more difficult. They are wider and scarier. There is no air anywhere. Shez Just a Dream did great all year and she made a couple of the shorter lines up there.”

Also riding for Sarabeau was Julie Julien of Cornwall on Palakari. Although Julien did not return home with a ribbon, in either Low Hunter or Adult Equitation Over Fences, “they rode great. Julie gets the jitters and they got the better of her. But the last day she had the best ride she’s had all year. So she finished off the season really well.”

Also riding Palakari was Jeana Lamothe, 14, of Ingleside in Modified Children’s. 

“Jeana had a great round. At times she was nervous but at times Pall wasn’t listening. Pal doesn’t like mud. He’s a bit of a wuss. And the second day there was a lot of mud and it got the better of them. Their first round that day was a disaster, but for their second round they pulled it together. They didn’t place but Jeana rode really well.”

[…]

 

The Morrisburg Junior B Lions, put their 2012-13 opening game 5-2 loss to the Glens in Alexandria on Friday night behind them here Sunday afternoon to come up with a very well-played 6-2 victory over the visiting Winchester Hawks.

“I guess you could look at it in one way,” said first-year coach Dan Frawley. “They (Alexandria) played really well in their home opener, and we played really well in our’s.”

“We had a lot of mistakes going on in Alexandria. They pressured us a lot and we buckled under the pressure.”

The Glens hit quickly and hit hard Friday night against Lions’ goaltender Ryan Cooper going up 3-0 in the first period. They stretched it to 5-0 with goals at 10:57 and 11:11 of the second period, before the Lions settled down and got back into the game.

According to Frawley, Cooper played really well and the Lions had their chances but, “we didn’t capitalize”.

Then on Sunday, it was a whole new game, as the Lions went to work on the visiting Hawks.

Veteran Lion, Chris Rutley counted the season’s first goal on Morrisburg ice,  at 13:11 of the first period with the Lions short two players.

The Lions held on for the remaining minutes of the frame. They got a big effort from goaltender Mikael Dion who shut down a two on one Hawks play with a spectacular glove save with just four seconds left on the clock.

In fact, Dion’s experience and maturity showed on many occasion throughout the game as he held the Winchester shooters at bay.

The Hawks came to life midway into the second period with goals from Mathew White (powerplay) and Josh Renaud which gave them a 2-1 lead.

But it was short-lived.

The Lions charged back with goals from Grant Cooper, Rutley’s second, Ty Hodgson on the power play and Clarke Veenstra, short-handed, to carry a 5-2 lead into the third period.

Third period action saw the Lions work extremely hard and successfully on their penalty kills, and some more outstanding work from Dion.

Brandon Chaffe with help from Eric Evans completed the Lions scoring in the last minute of the game.

Picking up assists were Patrick Bzdyl on Rutley’s first counter and Rutley and Michael Poapst on Grant Cooper’s tying marker.

Rutley was assisted by Brayden Girard with his second counter and Grant Cooper and Sylvester Bzdyl set up Hodgson for his power play goal. Michel Lefebvre provided the assist on the Veenstra goal.

Coach Frawley credited the Lions for their efforts in the second period. “They (the Hawks) came out hard in the second period, tied it and went ahead, but we kept our composure.” 

Frawley said he was happy with the penalty kills. “It’s early and I’m still evaluating but at this point we have two strong players for penalty kills on each line.”

Although he is still looking at various line combination, he says he saw good chemistry between veteran Chris Rutley and 16 year old Grant Cooper, younger brother of goaltender Ryan Cooper. “I am trying to find the right mix on the left side.”

The Cooper brothers are actually just one of four brother combinations currently on the Lions bench. The others include Drew and Clark Veenstra, Sam and Ty Hodgson and Patrick and Sylvester Bzdyl.

“The boys all played together and worked well together on the weekend. I’m very please. The guys see the direction we are going with this. It’s a learning process, and we are slowly working towards it. I am happy with their response to this point.”

Coming up this weekend the Lions have just one game and that is Friday night at 8:30 p.m. when the Char-Lan Rebels are in town.

[…]