Tim Ruhnke – Recorder & Times
That one point could be a big deal in a few weeks.
The Brockville Braves took the third-place Jr. Senators to overtime in Ottawa on Saturday night but fell 4-3. That followed a 5-4 win by the Jr. A Braves at home against Hawkesbury on Friday night.
Brockville is tied with Renfrew for seventh place in the Central Canada Hockey League standings; the top eight at the end of the regular season in mid-March advance to the playoffs.
The Braves are just one point behind sixth-place Cornwall and one point up on Carleton Place. Brockville has 10 more games to play compared to five for Carleton Place and Cornwall, and eight for Renfrew.
Ottawa took a 2-0 lead into the second period Saturday on goals from Wynston Iserhoff and Deklyn Campbell. Brockville’s Hugo Brisebois – the CCHL’s First Star the previous week – made it 2-1 when he scored his 10th goal of the season at 6:10 of the second, and the Braves evened the score at 16:52 on Carter Cuglietta’s second goal of the year.
Clement Valette gave the Jr. Sens the lead at 7:29 of the third, but Brockville captain Kayden Buller made it 3-3 when he scored his 17th goal of the season at 15:32 just after a Braves’ power play had ended.
Hunter Robitaille, who was traded by the Braves to the Jr. Sens in early November, scored the game-winner at 3:41 of the extra frame.
Ottawa outshot Brockville 34-20. Nicolas Morvan picked up the win net for the Jr. Sens; Austin Caley made 30 saves for the Braves.
Robitaille, Iserhoff and Brisebois were named first, second and third stars respectively.
Buller earned first star at home the previous night. His second goal of the game drew the Braves even with the Hawks later in the third period, and his third goal lifted Brockville over Hawkesbury 58 seconds into overtime.
Gavin Fitzpatrick’s first goal as a Brave had opened the scoring 6:55 into the game. Xavier Lacoste responded for the Hawks at 12:53, and Colton Sarrazin gave the visitors a 2-1 lead at 16:09.
Buller tied the game at 18:15, and Matt Vohra – the league’s Third Star the previous week – scored on a power play at 2:09 of the second to put Brockville in front. It was Vohra’s 15th goal of the year.
Edward Downey drew Hawkesbury even again at 5:02, then a power-play goal by Tommy Anderson gave the Hawks the lead at 2:13 of the third.
Shots were 40-35 in favour of Hawkesbury. Caley made 36 saves in the win. Luka Gelinas was tagged with the overtime loss.
Aidan Carolan, who picked up assists on Buller’s second and third goals, was named second star. Third star went to Downey.
With weather and road conditions being less than ideal, a small crowd of 110 was on hand at the Memorial Centre.
It was the first time since before the Christmas break that a Braves’ game went to overtime. The previous 15 played in 2026 had all ended in regulation, with Brockville going 6-9.
The stretch run will be a busy one for Brockville; the Braves (20-19-2-4) are scheduled to play their final 10 games in 19 days.
That drive opens with five games in one week, starting in Hawkesbury on Wednesday night. The 10th-place Hawks (16-26-4-2) have not been eliminated from post-season contention, but they are eight points out of a playoff spot with only seven games left on their schedule.
Brockville will then host Carleton Place (21-26-1-2) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
The Braves will face the Wolves (22-23-2) in Renfrew on Saturday night at 7:30 and then have to take on fourth-place Kemptville at the North Grenville Municipal Centre on Sunday afternoon at 2.
The second-place Smiths Falls Bears will be at the Brockville Memorial Centre for an 8:30 start next Tuesday night (March 3). That game had been scheduled for just before the Christmas break but was postponed.
Original Story at Recorder.ca
