LAURIE WEIR
The Smiths Falls Jr. A Bears pushed the league-leading Rockland Nationals (31-5-1) into overtime on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in Central Canada Hockey League action in the Bears’ Den.
In front of just over 200 fans, the Bears—currently ninth in the league with a record of 16-15-4-1—earned a point for the 3-2 overtime loss but remain in the fight for a playoff spot.
Rockland opened the scoring with the only goal of the first period as Noah Laframboise notched a short-handed marker, assisted by Alex Kelloway and Josh O’Connor.
At 2:35 of the second period, Marc-Antoine Riopel tied the game for Smiths Falls, with an assist from Caeden Heins. However, the Nationals regained the lead at 17:59 of the second, courtesy of Nolan Turnbull’s power-play goal, assisted by Kelloway and Joshua Penney.
The Bears clawed back in the third period as Ben Whitford scored his first goal as a Bear at 3:45, forcing overtime. Assists on the goal went to Heins and Peyton Veltkamp.
It wasn’t until 4:31 of the overtime period that the Nationals secured the victory. Remi Gagne scored the game-winner on the power play, sealing the 3-2 win for Rockland.
Game stars were O’Connor (first star) for Rockland, Veltkamp (second star) for Smiths Falls, and Rockland goalie Benoit Forget, who made 30 saves, earning third-star honours.
Smiths Falls goalie Ethan Morrow stopped 24 shots in the effort.
The Bears will host the Nationals again on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
