The North Dundas Rockets welcomed the Clarence Castors to the Chesterville Arena on Sat., Feb. 10, in the NCJHL. The Rockets’ alternate captain, Shawns Simms (13), scored a goal and picked up an assist but the Rockets dropped the decision 6-4. Simms has 17 goals and 44 assists in 28 games this season with the Rockets.     O’Donohue Photo

Jeff Moore
Record Staff
CHESTERVILLE – The North Dundas Rockets were supposed to have played two home games this past weekend but the game versus Papineau Vikings on Sunday night was postponed due to road conditions.

Castors 6 Rockets 4: The Rockets welcomed the Clarence Castors to the Chesterville Arena on Sat., Feb. 10, in the NCJHL. The Rockets went into the game in a three-way tie for third place with the Cumberland Bandits and the St. Isidore Eagles with 39 points each. The Castors sat in sixth place just four points behind the trio of teams in third but only one point ahead of the Metcalfe Jets in seventh.

The Rockets opened the scoring at 4:54 of the first period as Aaron Turcotte scored his first goal as a Rocket from McKay Balaton and Jace Legue to take a 1-0 lead.

The Castors tied the game at 8:25 but the Rockets retook the lead when Justin Lefebvre ripped one home from Jack Van Kessel and Shawn Simms at 12:41. The Rockets made it 3-1 with just 59 seconds remaining in the opening frame as Simms snapped one home from Lefebvre and Van Kessel.

The Rockets took the 3-1 lead into the first intermission. The Castors got to within one at 3:08 of the second period and tied the game at 7:04. The Castors took their first lead of the game at 11:31 but the Rockets promptly tied the game again at 15:24 as Connor Roth slipped one home from Brad Stitt.

The teams took a four-all deadlock into the second intermission. The Castors retook the lead at 12:07 of the third period and added an insurance marker at 16:39. The Rockets failed to mount a comeback as the Castors left town with the win and the two points.

The Rockets got off lucky however, as the Eagles and the Bandits both lost their games as well so the teams remain in a three-way tie for third place. Suffering the loss in the Rockets’ goal was Reilly Tondreau making 31 saves on 37 shots.

Up next: Sat., Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m., Rockets vs. Cumberland Bandits, Chesterville Arena; Sun., Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m., Rockets vs. Eagles, St. Isidore Arena.