Tim Ruhnke – Recorder & Times
Number two is visiting number three.
The Brockville Braves are home to Hawkesbury on Wednesday. Puck drops at 8 p.m.
As of early Wednesday afternoon, there were freezing rain warnings in effect for portions of the region – including Prescott-Russell – for later in the day. There was no freezing rain warning for the Brockville-Prescott area.
The Braves indicated later in the afternoon that the game would not be postponed.
The Braves and Hawks had been tied for second overall in the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL). Hawkesbury moved two points ahead of Brockville by defeating Carleton Place 4-1 on Tuesday.
The Braves have lost three of their first four games with the Hawks this season.
Brockville (33-14-0-2) had won seven in row before dropping a 6-4 decision in Carleton Place on Sunday.
“We’re going to have to have a much better start than we’ve done here the last two weeks,” said Braves head coach Randy Jones, who added in a recent interview that Brockville will have to defend well and do all the small things well “and truly play a full team game from start to finish if we want to give ourselves an opportunity,” against Hawkesbury.
The Hawks remain ranked 20th in this week’s CJHL top 20 list of Canadian Jr. A teams.
It won’t get easier for the Braves Friday night when they host league-leading Ottawa, the fourth-ranked team in the country.
Including Wednesday, Brockville has six games to go in the regular season; five are at home.
The top four teams in the CCHL at the end of the season get home-ice advantage to start the playoffs.
In other CCHL action Tuesday, Smiths Falls moved to within three points of a playoff spot by defeating Rockland 5-1 at home. Riley Thompson scored a hat trick for the Bears. Former Brave Will McEvoy got the win in net for Smiths Falls.
The Bears host Nepean Friday night.
Original Story at Recorder.ca
