The North Dundas Rockets welcomed the Morrisburg Lions to the Chesterville Arena on Sat., Nov. 3, in the NCJHL. The Rockets’ rookie, Carter Tait opened the scoring in the first period beating the Lions’ goalie Morgan Penwell. Little did Tait know that he just scored the game winner as the Rockets took the game 6-0.       Moore photo

Jeff Moore
Record Staff
CLARENCE CREEK—The North Dundas Rockets played two games this past weekend as they welcomed the Morrisburg Lions on Saturday night and travelled to Clarence Creek on Sunday afternoon to take on the Clarence Castors.

Rockets 6 Castors 6
The North Dundas Rockets travelled to the Clarence Creek Arena on Sun., Nov. 4, to take on the Clarence Castors in the NCJHL. The Rockets went into the game coming off a 6-0 shutout win over the Morrisburg Lions the previous night and had a chance to take over sole possession of first place in the West Division.

The Rockets were also looking to extend their winning streak to six but it would be tough as they faced the number one team in the East Division. The Castors opened the scoring just 2:44 into the first period while shorthanded taking a 1-0 lead.

The Rockets tied the game at 6:03 as Brodie Barkley slid one home from Justin Lefebvre. The Castors retook the lead at 11:22 on the power play and took a two-goal lead at 16:09 on their second short-handed goal of the game.

The Rockets got one back at 16:38 as Phil Brunet sniped one from Will Watson and Carter Tait on the power play. The Castors restored their two-goal lead at 17:35 and took a 4-2 lead into the first intermission.

The Castors made it 5-2 just 2:15 into the second period but the Rockets retaliated with a goal at 7:07 as Connor Roth snapped one to the back of the net from Lefebvre and Brad Stitt.

The Rockets got to within one as Stitt scored a short-handed breakaway unassisted to make it 5-4 at 10:26. The Rockets tied the game at 14:31 as Lefebvre pounded one home from the right circle on the power play from Roth and Nash.

The teams took five-all stalemate into the second intermission. The Castors retook the lead at 2:58 of the third period on the power play but the Rockets answered right back as Stitt scored his second of the game as the puck just made it across the line from Nash and Matt Cowley on the power play.

Both teams seemed to tighten up for the remainder of the game so the game headed to a five-minute three on three overtime period. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the overtime frame so the game ended in a six-all draw.

With the point earned for a tie, the Rockets move into a first-place tie with the Rangers but their winning streak ended at five. Playing in goal for the Rockets was Reilly Tondreau.

Rockets 6 Lions 0
The North Dundas Rockets welcomed the Morrisburg Lions to the Chesterville Arena on Sat., Nov. 3, in the NCJHL. The Rockets went into the game riding a four game winning streak and looked to make it five. The Rockets sat in second place in the West Division two points behind the first place South Grenville Rangers.

The Lions sat in third place just three points behind the Rockets so it was a huge four-point game. The Rockets opened the scoring at 16:37 of the first period as Carter Tait pounded home a rebound from Brodie Barkley taking a 1-0 lead.

The Rockets made it 2-0 when Phil Brunet scored from behind the net banking one off the Lions’ goalie’s pads with just 1:13 remaining in the first from Pierce Egan and Cameron Brown. The Rockets took a three-goal lead as Justin Lefebvre snapped one home from the top of the left circle from Brad Nash and Brad Stitt with only 27 seconds remaining and took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission.

The Rockets added to their lead when Stitt jammed one home from Lefebvre and Nash at 13:41 of the second period. The Rockets made it 5-0 as Lefebvre pounded home his second of the game from goalie, Reilly Tondreau at 16:43.

The Rockets weren’t done as Tanner Barnet turned and fired one home from the left circle from Sebastien Roy and Brunet with just 1:04 remaining in the middle session. The Rockets took a 6-0 lead into the second intermission.

The Lions had their best period of the game in the third outshooting the Rockets 12-10 but were unable to get one past Tondreau. The Rockets’ fire power also came to a halt in the third as neither team was able to find the back of the net.

The Rockets took the game 6-0 and outshot the Lions 39-33. With the win, the Rockets moved to within one point of the first place Rangers after the Rangers tied the Metcalfe Jets the same evening taking the one point lead.

Picking up the shutout in the Rockets’ goal was Reilly Tondreau making 33 saves and suffering the loss in the Lions’ goal was Morgan Penwell making 33 saves on 39 shots.

Up next
The North Dundas Rockets travel to the W. Erskine Johnston Arena in Carp on Fri., Nov. 9, to take on the West Carleton Inferno at 7:10 p.m. The Rockets then welcome the Bytown Royals to the Chesterville Arena on Sat., Nov. 10, at 7:30 p.m.