Tim Ruhnke – R&T
One step forward, one step back.
The Brockville Braves followed up a win at home against the Pembroke Lumber Kings Friday night with a 3-0 loss to the Kemptville 73’s on Sunday afternoon. Brockville, which had won three in a row, fell to 6-7 and is tied with Kemptville for ninth overall in the 12-team Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) one-quarter of the way through the regular season.
The game ended up being won on Nathan Merrett’s second goal of the year at 6:23 of the first period. Ty White’s eighth goal of the season was a shorty at 7:29 of the third. Chase Lammi made it 3-0 for Kemptville at 9:46; it was his seventh goal of the year.
The Jr. A Braves outshot the 73’s 35-30. Jacob Biron picked up the shutout in net for Kemptville.
“I think he played very solid for them,” Brockville head coach Randy Jones said in an interview Monday.
Jones indicated that the Braves had opportunities on which they did not capitalize in the second and third periods. “We had a few brain farts out there,” he remarked. “They capitalized on their opportunities and we didn’t.”
Sami Molu made 27 saves for Brockville in the loss.
Lammi and Merrett were named first and second stars. Third star went to Brockville’s Colin Elliott.
A crowd of 182 was on hand at the North Grenville Municipal Centre.
With the win, the 73’s improved to 5-6-2-0.
On Tuesday morning, Biron was named the CCM Hockey’s Player of the Week in the CCHL. Whyte received an honourable mention.
The Braves had evened their record with the 3-1 win over Pembroke Friday night. Aidan Yarde gave Brockville a 1-0 lead on a power-play late in the first period; it was his fourth goal of the season. Luke Tchor’s eighth goal of the year made it 2-0 for the Braves late in the second period.
Eric Barnard scored his second goal of the season at 12:61 of the third to give Brockville a 3-0 advantage. Lucas Legault broke up Philip Rondina’s shutout bid with about 48 seconds to go in regulation.
The Lumber Kings edged the Braves in shots 28-27. Rondina was named first star. Second and third stars went to Barnard and Legault.
Ben Forget made 24 saves for Pembroke in the loss. A crowd of 556 was on hand at the Brockville Memorial Centre. Attendance at the five home games played in Brockville has averaged about 600.
The Braves will host the Rockland Nationals (7-4-1-1) this Friday night.
The 73’s had improved to 4-6-2-0 with a 4-1 home win against Nepean on Friday night. Whyte scored a hat trick for Kemptville to give him seven goals on the season. Biron picked up the win in net for the 73’s.
In other CCHL action Friday night, the Smiths Falls Bears lost to Navan 3-1 in the first of a home-and-home. The Bears edged the Grads 6-5 in the rematch in Navan on Sunday.
Smiths Falls (8-4-0-1) is second overall in the CCHL. The Bears will play the Colts (7-5-1-0) in Cornwall on Thursday night.
Smiths Falls received an honourable mention in the CJHL’s latest top 20 list of Jr. A teams released Monday. Ottawa is 16th. No other CCHL teams were listed or mentioned.
Sean James of the Bears, who scored twice on Sunday, is tied for the league lead in goals with 14 and is second in points with 22.
Original Story at Recorder.ca
