73’s have to settle for three points

Smiths Falls Bears were in the house for a Tuesday evening feeding as they managed to hold on for 5-4 OT victory. U-18 Rylan Donovan was between the pipes for Kemptville with both main stoppers unavailable, and Will McEvoy stood tall for Smiths Falls. The Bears came on strong to open the initial period with Issac Barrett from Thompson and Fournier to initiate a screen shot at 3:49. Smiths Falls still on a frenzy, as Sean James, with helpers from Chipman and Lesser at 3:03 to start the second. Give and go from Krulicki to Taylor over to Lane Morency to hammer it home from top of the circle to put Kemptville within 1 at 12:50.

Final twenty was a see-saw endeavour, as 73’s capitalized on PP at just :46 when Taylor cycled low, back to Howie on the line to Brock Krulicki PPG knocking at the door, between the pegs for a tie. Adam Cavallin’s aggressiveness stripped the rubber from opponent to launch it top shelf for the tie breaker at 6:16. The Bears responded with two of their own with Brady Fournier with assists from Gangl and Watson at 9:47. Then Owen Watson from Fournier at 16:18 to put them ahead by 1. Kemptville pulled their stopper for the extra attacker at 19:27. Brock Krulicki registered his second goal with a tic-tac-toe from Larkin to Brazier to force OT at 19:56.

With OT underway Smiths Falls took advantage of a clearing error as Brady Fournier from Gangl and Watson to close out the contest at 4:21. Shawn Fensel commented after the game, “Rylan Donovan did a great job stepping into the net for his first Junior A battle. Every point matters right now in the playoff race, so it is good to record at least one point tonight. We have a few guys that are banged up right now, which is par the course for all teams this time of the season. We are hoping to have Tyler Laureault back this week, and Connor Blackwood will be out with a shoulder separation that he fought through on Saturday’s contest.”

Brockville Braves rolled into town to meet Kemptville for a Tuesday night affair that turned into a officiating fiasco, as the Braves with 7-3 lob sided blow out result with 4 PP’s markers. Rylan Donovan was the starter for the 73’s and Sami Molu represented the Braves. A dot from dot PP for Kemptville when Howie led the attack to Larkin with a dipsy doodle to Hunter Brazier PPG to drift one over stopper’s shoulder at 5:43 to commence first. Brockville countered when Kemptville got caught with poor line change during PP, as Jack McDonald on break away poked the disc up and over goalie for a tie at 15:27. Two questionable calls that took out one of Kemptville’s key defence and sniper at 19:24.

Second stanza started with Brockville breaking the tie, as Justin Dauphinais with Lariviere found the open space at 7:59. Houle straddling the line on PP, pushed the puck to Brazier on to the tape of Patrick Larkin PPG  from the dot at 9:20 to even it at 2. Trent Ledrew, assisted by Culhane and Lariviere, to make it one goal lead at 16:04. Beaudry up the wall, across to Morency to Jeff Taylor to even the odds at 17:56. The last frame was owned by Brockville, as they capitalized on three PP. Jack McDonald, with helpers from Ledrew and Bonfield, for his second of the evening at 5:13, and Luke Tchor, with assist from Belisle and Lariviere, at 6:36 for PPG. Caleb Kean, assists from Dauphinais with Culhane, at 16:15 to give Brockville a three point spread. The bleeding continued with another PP at 19:34 from McDonald and Godfrey to Colin Elliott for 7 to 3 final.

The Canadians from Carleton Place faced off in front of 73’s fans on Friday evening to reward them with a 4-1 victory. Tyler Laureault was back between the pegs for Kemptville, and Brady McEwan for Carleton Place. First frame was a sticky 200 foot fiasco, as neither club could control the bouncing rubber for a connection into the back of the net. In the second, with a faulty miscue to take out opponent and cross ice poke check, gave Carleton Place first marker on the board. Hay threw it through the middle on to Bill Gourgon’s tape to flip it into open space at 1:08. Campeau with Haughian to find Matthew O’Doherty stretching out to chip it home for the tie at 6:49. Kemptville on PP, when York pinched the line, over to Lammi on the dot to find Jeff Taylor open on the doorstep to pull the trigger for the tiebreaker at 8:52.

Last twenty miler was owned by the 73’s, as Eastwood from the wall to Larkin, reversed to Johnny Howie in the slot to launch a missile at 1:17 to make it a 3-1 romp. A beauty marker at 12:19, when Haughian’s aggressiveness and tenacity stripped down a clearing attempt on to the stick of Grady Logue to perform his magic with a fantastic backhand counter for a Kemptville win. Kemptville out gunned the challengers by 33 to 8, and could only capitalize on 1 PP with 5 opportunities.

Anticipating a repeat win with Sunday matinee into Navan to visit the Grads with just 9 more games before playoffs. Renfrew Wolves will be in the 73’s house for 7:30 pm challenge on Friday, March 25.

Hockey with edge…see you around the wall.