LAURIE WEIR
The Smiths Falls Bears are officially back in business.
Down two games in the best-of-seven series against the Rockland Nationals, the Bears roared into Rockland Tuesday night and left little doubt, skating to a 5–1 victory to pull within a game of the CCHL semi-final series.
Jackson Heron led the charge with a natural hat trick — including a pair of third-period empty-netters — while Ethan Morrow shut the door in the crease, turning aside 33 of 34 shots for the win.
The Bears wasted no time setting the tone, as Heron found the twine just 3:41 into the first period on a setup from Tyson Parker and Davis Hails. He added his second midway through the frame, burying a solo effort to give Smiths Falls a 2–0 edge heading into the second.
Rockland showed some pushback in the middle frame. James Marshall, the lone bright spot for the Nats, cut the deficit to 2–1 with a shot that beat Morrow clean at 13:19. But that’s all the offence Rockland could muster, despite outshooting the Bears 34–32 overall.
The third period belonged to Smiths Falls.
Xavier Tessier restored the two-goal lead on the power play at 7:02, hammering home a feed from Kyle James. From there, the Bears locked it down — and then cashed in as Rockland gambled with an early goalie pull.
Parker made it 4–1 with a long-range empty-netter at 17:14. Less than a minute later, Heron sealed the deal — and the hat trick — with his third of the night, his fourth of the playoffs.
Morrow earned third-star honours for his poise under pressure, especially in the first when Rockland outshot the Bears 14–6.
With the win, the Bears now trail the series 2–1 heading back to the Den for Game 4.
Puck drop is set for Thursday night in Smiths Falls, where the Bears will look to even the series and keep their playoff hopes alive.
Game Notes:
- Smiths Falls went 1-for-4 on the power play, while Rockland was held scoreless on two opportunities.
- The game saw a total of 12 minutes in penalties, with Rockland taking four minors.
- Attendance at Rockland Arena hit 674.
- Heron’s hat trick is the first for the Bears this post-season.
Three Stars:
- Jackson Heron (SF) – 3G
- James Marshall (ROC) – 1G
- Ethan Morrow (SF) – 33 saves
Next games
The Bears played last night at home but results weren’t available at press time.
Game 5: Friday, April 11 in Rockland
Game 6: (if necessary), Sunday, April 13 in Smiths Falls, 4 p.m.
Game 7: (if necessary), Wednesday, April 16 in Rockland, 7:30 p.m.
