LAURIE WEIR
The Smiths Falls Jr. A Bears held off a charging Rockland Nationals in CCHL action in the Bears’ Den Friday, Nov. 22 to post a 3-2 win over the league leaders in front of 356 fans.
It was Travis Oullette with the power play, game winner just three minutes into the final stanza.
Rockland got on the board first with Jacob Charron’s power play goal at the 12:57 mark, assisted by Noah Laframboise and Mathis Baril.
But three minutes later, Quinn Booth tied the score with his sixth of the season. This power play marker was assisted by Davis Hails and Tyson Parker.
Ouellette gave the Bears the 2-1 lead at the end of the first, assisted by Jackson Heron.
Rockland had the only goal of the second period when Gabriel Le Houillier scored assisted by Renaud Lalancette and Mathys Laurent with 13 minutes on the clock.
In the dying minutes of the game, Smiths Falls held off the Nationals, who pulled their goalie for the extra attacker.
Local netminder Ethan Morrow was stellar between the pipes to claim the win for the home team, with 26 saves.
Game stars were Ouellette (first) and Booth (second) for the Bears, and Charron (third) for the Nationals.
The win gives the Bears a 10-10-1-1 record for 22 points for a third-place tie in the Robinson Division with the Brockville Braves. Kemptville sits in second place with 23 points, while Carleton Place is now on top with 27 points.
This loss was Rockland’s third of the season, as they remain at the top of the league and the Yzerman Division with a record of 18-3-1 for 37 points.
Smiths Falls is in Kemptville on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.
