LAURIE WEIR
The Smiths Falls Jr. A Bears and the Cornwall Colts are tied for fourth place in the Central Canada Hockey League after Smiths Falls’ win on Sunday. It was the first time this season the Bears have defeated the Colts.
Both teams are holding onto fourth place with 55 points, just one ahead of Kemptville and two ahead of the Ottawa Junior Senators.
Rockland has secured the league pennant with 87 points (43 wins, six losses, one overtime loss). Carleton Place is currently in second place with 66 points, and Navan is in third with 64 points.
Smiths Falls earned a 4-1 win over Cornwall on the road Sunday, pairing it with a 2-1 victory over Kemptville at home Friday.
Smiths Falls 4, Cornwall 1
Kyle James opened the scoring Sunday with help from Cameron O’Connell at 1:49 of the first period.
After a scoreless second period, Smiths Falls added to its lead with a goal from Travis Ouellette, assisted by Parker and Booth.
Cornwall responded with a short-handed goal from Tristan Miron, but that was as close as the Colts got.
Two power-play goals sealed the win for the Bears—Davis Hal scored at 13:06, assisted by Ouellette, followed by O’Connell’s marker, set up by Booth and Parker, for the 4-1 final.
Game stars were Ouellette and O’Connell for Smiths Falls, and Miron for Cornwall.
Ethan Morrow earned the win in net with 17 saves. Caleb Chabot took the loss with 32 saves.
Smiths Falls 2, Kemptville 1
The Bears edged Kemptville 2-1 at home Friday in front of 344 fans.
Smiths Falls was on the defensive in the first period after Kemptville opened the scoring four minutes in. Carter Graves netted the goal, assisted by Avry Shaw and Emile Trottier.
The Bears responded at 7:52, with Quinn Booth scoring the equalizer, set up by Kyle James and Ouellette.
With 39 seconds left in the second period, Xavier Tessier netted what turned out to be the winner, as neither team scored in the third.
Trenten Bennett was named first star in net for Kemptville with 36 saves. Bears goaltender Morrow was the second star with 17 saves, while Booth earned third-star honours.
Upcoming games
The Bears are on the road for the next two weeks, starting with a Friday night game in Navan at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, March 8, they visit Renfrew, followed by back-to-back games against Pembroke on March 10 and 12. Smiths Falls faces Brockville on Friday, March 14, before ending the regular season at home against Renfrew on Sunday, March 16, at 4 p.m.
