Cougars take 2-0 lead in NCJHL semifinals

They got off to a bit of a slow start, but the Vankleek Hill Cougars ended up posting convincing 7-2 and 4-0 victories over the South Grenville Rangers last weekend to take a 2-0 lead in the National Capital Junior Hockey League semifinal series between the two teams.

“I like our compete level,” said Cougars’ Head Coach Hamish Cunning after the two weekend wins. “Our goal is to win every battle out on the ice. (The players) have been doing that and I’m happy with the way we’re playing.”

As always, the team has been bolstered by enthusiastic fan support during the playoffs.

“Unbelievable – I love playoff hockey in Vankleek Hill,” Cunning said. “We love it as coaches; we love it as players – each game it just keeps getting bigger and bigger.”

Sunday, March 8 – Vankleek Hill Cougars 4, South Grenville Rangers 0

Defenseman Bradley Horner and forward Alexandre Chenier each scored twice, while Tristan Paquette earned the shutout, as the Cougars jumped on South Grenville early on the road to take a convincing 4-0 win and a 2-0 series lead in the NCJHL semifinals.

Vankleek Hill took a first period lead of 1-0, before breaking loose with three unanswered goals in the second to put the game away.

Paquette was solid in net, stopping all 28 shots fired his way to earn the shutout.

Saturday, March 7 – Vankleek Hill Cougars 7, South Grenville Rangers 2

After a slow start that saw their opponents draw first blood in the NCJHL semifinal series, the Cougars stormed back with three goals late in the first period and then sailed to a 7-2 win over South Grenville.

A boisterous home crowd at the Vankleek Hill Arena that roared when the Cougars took the ice on Saturday evening, was briefly quieted when South Grenville’s Ethan Wooller scored an unassisted goal to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead, just 6:34 into the first frame. But after some uneven play through the first 10 minutes, the Cougars began to take control in the second half of the period.

Forward Garrett Cunning got the comeback party started with just under five minutes left in the first, when a point shot by defenseman Bradley Horner bounced high into the air off South Grenville netminder Bryce Kijewski. Cunning wisely froze in front of the net with his arms in the air instead of swinging at the puck overhead, as it slowly came down, bounced off his chest and into the net to tie the game up at 1-1.

Just a minute and a half later forward Bruno Laframboise fired a shot from in front of the net past the Rangers goaltender to put Vankleek Hill up 2-1. Then 31 seconds later, defenseman Ryder Hill blasted a point shot through a screen to score what would turn out to be the eventual game-winning goal, with just 2:19 left in the first frame.

After a scoreless second period, South Grenville’s Mason Wight restored hope for the visiting team, scoring at 4:22 in the third to cut the Cougars’ lead to 3-2. But from there it was all Vankleek Hill, with Zachary Sullivan restoring the two-goal lead just two minutes later. Bradley Horner, Mike Fournier, and Liam Lynn all scored in the final six minutes to close out the 7-2 win.

Mael Gendron earned the win in net for Vankleek Hill, stopping 18 shots, as the Cougars outshot South Grenville 34-20.

Upcoming games

Vankleek Hill will host Game 3 of their NCJHL semifinal series against South Grenville, this Saturday, March 14. Game time at the Vankleek Hill Arena is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

On Sunday, March 15, the Cougars will travel to the Aline Chartrand Community Centre in Prescott for Game 4. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Westport up 2-1 over Kanata in other NCJHL semifinal series

The Kanata Kings topped the Westport Rideaus 2-1 in overtime on Saturday evening (March 7) to tighten up the NCJHL’s other semi final series, after Westport had won the first two games by identical 3-0 scores.

Game 4 will begin this Friday, March 13, in Westport.