The North Dundas Rockets travelled to the Morrisburg Arena on Sun., Jan. 6, to take on the Lions in the NCJHL. The Rockets’ forward, Carter Tait (13) jams home the Rockets’ fifth goal of the game as the Lions’ keeper was unable to squeeze the puck. The Lions’ defender, Kyle Ouellette arrives just a little late. Tait and the Rockets went on to take the game 9-5. Moore photo

Jeff Moore

Record Staff

MORRISBURG—The North Dundas Rockets began 2019 with a pair of games this past weekend as they welcomed the Metcalfe Jets on Saturday night and travelled to Morrisburg to take on the Lions on Sunday afternoon. The Rockets welcomed new player, Zach Parent and formerly injured player, Hugo Lusigan back to their lineup. 

Rockets 9 Lions 5

The North Dundas Rockets travelled to the Morrisburg Arena on Sun., Jan. 6, to take on the Lions in the NCJHL. The Rockets were coming off a big 5-2 victory over the Metcalfe Jets and moved to within seven points of the first place South Grenville Rangers. 

The Rockets welcomed newcomer, Zach Parent (19) to their lineup this past weekend. Parent played for the AHMLG’s Ambassadeurs de Gatineau Midget AA but has not played for a couple of years. Moore photo

The Rockets jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Connor Roth pounded one to the back of the net from Jarrett Williams and Dylan Robinson just 1:41 into the first period. The Rockets took a two-goal lead when Cameron Brown lifted one home from Hugo Lusigan and Tom Fingler on the power play. The Rockets took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. 

The Rockets made it 3-0 when Robinson sniped one from Roth and Matt Cowley just 1:05 into the second period. The Lions got on the board when Devon Burns scored from Zach Leblanc and Zenin Biron at 4:03 to make it 3-1. 

The Lions got to within one as Francis Chartrand scored from Burns at 7:23 but the Rockets restored a two-goal lead when Roth scored his second of the game from Williams and Brody Barkley at 9:19. The Lions didn’t give up and got back to within one as Burns scored his second of the game at 10:47 from Chartrand. 

Burns completed the hat trick at 16:28 from Jensen Tysick tying the game at four. The Rockets didn’t take long to retake the lead as Carter Tait slid one through the five hole just nine seconds later from Will Watson and Jack Van Kessel. 

The Lions ran into penalty trouble and the Rockets took advantage as Cowley lit the lamp from Justin Lefebvre and Jarrett Williams on the power play with 1:53 remaining in the middle frame. The Rockets took a 6-4 lead into the second intermission. 

The Rockets made it 7-4 when Brad Stitt banged one home from Brad Nash at 6:53 of the third period. The Lions battled back with a goal as Leblanc scored from Kevin Doyle at 8:16 on the power play but the Rockets got that one back just 11 seconds later as Roth completed his hat trick from Robinson and Williams. 

The Rockets closed out the scoring when Lefebvre batted one to the back of the net from Roth on the power play at 11:20. The Rockets took the game 9-5 moving to within five points of the Rangers. The Rockets outshot the Lions 41-31. 

Picking up the win in the Rockets’ goal was Reilly Tondreau making 26 saves and suffering the loss in the Lions’ goal was Riley Phillips making 32 saves.

Rockets 5 Jets 2

The North Dundas Rockets welcomed the Metcalfe Jets to the Chesterville Arena on Sat., Jan. 5, in the NCJHL. The Rockets went into the game in second place in the West Division with 27 points, eight points behind the South Grenville Rangers in first place. 

The Rockets opened the scoring when Jack Van Kessel fired one home from affiliated player, Curtis Bowman at 8:23 of the first period to take a 1-0 lead. The Jets tied the game at 13:43 as Devon Upton scored from Tristan Staff and Mark Morrison but the Rockets retook the lead just 17 seconds later as Connor Roth snapped one to the back of the net from Tom Fingler. The Rockets took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. 

The Rockets made it 3-1 as Roth scored his second of the game just 1:02 into the second period unassisted. The Jets got back to within one as Evan Mantha scored from Cameron Gallant at 3:58. 

The Rockets regained their two-goal lead when Justin Lefebvre blasted one home from Brad Stitt at 10:19 and took a three-goal lead at 14:18 as Fingler lit the lamp from Lefebvre and Roth. The Rockets took a 5-2 lead into the second intermission. 

Neither team was able to score in the third period but the Rockets outshot the Jets 15-8. The Rockets took the game 5-2. The Rockets moved to within seven points of the Rangers after the Rangers tied the Gatineau Hull-Volant earlier in the evening. 

The Rockets outshot the Jets 45-35. Picking up the win in the Rockets’ goal was Reilly Tondreau making 33 saves and suffering the loss in the Jets’ goal was Tyler Desjardins making 40 saves.

Up next

The North Dundas Rockets travel to the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau on Fri., Jan. 11, at 7:30 p.m. and travel to Vankleek Hill to take on the Cougars on Sat., Jan. 12, at 7:15 p.m.