It’s been a tough season for the Alexandria Glens, but the team’s players continue to give maximum effort, despite the playoffs being out of reach. Facing two of the top teams in the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League (EOJHL) last weekend, the Junior B Glens gave both visiting squads everything they could handle.
The Glens (7-26-1-0) took a 2-1 lead into the third period in front of their hometown fans at the Glengarry Sports Palace in Alexandria, before ultimately falling to the Ottawa West Golden Knights (26-6-0-1) by a score of 4-2, in Saturday (January 20) EOJHL action. Alexandria netminder Jordan Stairs was outstanding in the Glens net, stopping 46 of 49 shots to give the local team a chance at the win. Connor MacDonald and team captain Donovan Francis scored for the Glens, who fired 26 shots at the Ottawa West net.
Kicking off the weekend on Friday night (January 19), goaltender Cohen Lesperance-Spack was even more amazing in the Glens 4-0 home loss to the league-leading Casselman Vikings (28-6-0-0), stopping an incredible 65 out of 69 shots fired at the Alexandria net. The Glens responded with 23 shots.
Alexandria has a pair of games scheduled next weekend. On Friday, January 26, the Glens travel to Embrun to face Panthers (18-17-0-1) in an 8 p.m. start. On Saturday (January 27), Alexandria hosts the Winchester Hawks (13-22-1-0) in a contest that begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Glengarry Sports Palace.
Cougars split weekend games with St-Isidore Eagles
Both the Vankleek Hill Cougars (18-12-0-0) and St-Isidore Eagles (15-13-1-1) remain in the thick of a tight race for second place in the National Capital Junior Hockey League (NCJHL), after the two local teams split their back-to-back contests last weekend.
On Saturday evening (January 20) the Cougars clawed back from a 3-1 second period deficit with four unanswered goals to earn a 5-3 win over the visiting Eagles in front of a hometown crowd at the Vankleek Hill Community Centre. Team captain Joshua Desjardins had two goals and an assist for Vankleek Hill, Nathan Williams scored the winner early in the third period, while Andy Lightle-Blais and Zachary Sullivan added singles for the Cougars. Brayden Prevost was the winning goaltender. St-Isidore goals were scored by Alexi Gaudreau, Nathan Lassenba and Tristan Meagher, while Justin Casault took the loss in goal.
The Eagles returned the favour with a comeback of their own on Sunday evening (January 21) in front of their fans at the St-Isidore Arena, scoring four unanswered goals in the third frame to come back from a 2-1 deficit for a convincing 5-2 victory. Maxime Patenaude scored twice and added an assist for St-Isidore, while Alexi Gaudreau, Kyle Huneault and Maxime Paquette added singles. Mathieu Sauve earned the win in goal. Zachary Bigras and Reid Cunning scored for Vankleek Hill, while Tristan Paquette took the loss in goal.
Gatineau-Hull sits solidly in first place, but the battle for second in the NCJHL is tight. Morrisburg, Vankleek Hill, St-Isidore, Westport and Cumberland are all within seven points of each other in the battle for second. Vankleek Hill currently occupies third place, a point back of second-place Morrisburg and four points ahead of fifth-place St-Isidore.
The Cougars are at home this Saturday (January 27) at the Vankleek Hill Community Centre to face the Metcalfe Jets (6-21-1-1) in a 7:30 p.m. start. On Sunday, January 28, Vankleek Hill travels to Cumberland to play the Castors. Game time at the Ray Friel Recreation Complex is 7:20 p.m.
Alexandria Glens captain Donovan Francis (27) is stopped by Casselman Vikings netminder Mael Gendron (33) in Casselman’s 4-0 victory on Saturday, January 20. Photo: Sylvain Lauwers
