The Rockets’ forwards, Justin Lefebvre and Carter Tait try to fish out a loose puck at the side of the net as the Castors’ goalie, Corey Camirand and defenseman, Caleb Smith battle the two Rocket forwards. The Castors got the last laugh taking the game 9-3.    Moore photo

Jeff Moore
Record Staff
CHESTERVILLE—The North Dundas Rockets played just a single game this past weekend as they welcomed the league’s top team, the Clarence Castors on Saturday night.

Castors 9 Rockets 3

The North Dundas Rockets welcomed the Clarence Castors to the Chesterville Arena on Sat., Dec. 1, in the NCJHL. The Rockets went into the game in second place in the West Division four points behind the South Grenville Rangers while the Castors have been the class of the season sitting atop the East Division.

The Castors opened the scoring at 12:31 of the first period taking a 1-0 lead and made it 2-0 at 14:29 on the power play. The Castors made it 3-0 just 54 seconds later on another power play. The Rockets cut into the Castors’ lead when Brad Stitt tapped one home from Connor Roth and Justin Lefebvre at 16:30.

The Rockets got to within one with just seven seconds remaining in the opening frame as Roth sniped one from Stitt and Lefebvre. The Castors took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission. It was all Castors in the second period mostly due to the Rockets penalties as they scored 8:54 and 17:59 on the power play and with 1:38 remaining in the second period at even strength.

The Castors took 6-2 lead into the second intermission. The Castors scored their fifth power-play goal of the game at 3:44 of the third period to make it 7-2 but the Rockets got that one back as Roth scored his second of the game from Cameron Brown at 6:34.

The Castors closed out the scoring with two goals at 12:43 and 16:54 while shorthanded and took the game 9-3. Suffering the loss in the Rockets’ goal was Reilly Tondreau making 21 saves on 30 shots.

Up next

The North Dundas Rockets welcome the Metcalfe Jets to the Chesterville Arena on Sat., Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m. and travel to the W. Erskine Johnston Arena in Carp to take on the West Carleton Inferno on Sun., Dec. 9, at 5:45 p.m.