The Castors faced off against the Rangers for the first time this post-season in South Grenville last Saturday. The Ranger took a 3-1 lead in the first period, but the Castors managed to claw their way back into the game and even the score in third period to send the game into overtime.
After a scoreless first period of overtime, Jacob Servant finally buried the game-winner to put the Castors up 1-0 in the series. Besides his game-winner, Servant added another goal to the box-score, with Alderic Denis and Cayden Martin scoring the other goals for Clarence in the victory. Jordan Croll-Stevenson and Nicholas Gaumond each had two assists while Xavier Brunet and Alex Ross had single helpers.
The Castors were hosting the Rangers in Clarence the very next day. Again, the game went to double overtime, and yet again it was the team captain Jacob Servant who scored the game-winning goal. Ryan Carroll scored two goals for the Castors, Alderic Denis and Nicholas Gaumont each scored one goal and one assist, Xavier Brunet scored the other goal, Matthieu Brennan notched two assists, and Tristan Derraugh, Cayden Martin, Zachary Payer, Alex Ross and Jaddus Savoie had single assists in the victory.
The Castors beat the Rangers 5-1 in a blowout last Tuesday to put them up 3-0 in the series. The Castors took an early lead in the first period, scoring three unanswered goals before the first intermission. After a scoreless second period, the Rangers managed to avoid a shutout by scoring their only goal in the third, but the Castors added two more goals to take game three by a comfortable margin,
The NCJHL finals have delivered intense playoff hockey thus far, and Castors Head Coach Tim Kosch is happy that his team has managed to walk away from the first three meetings with a 3-0 lead: “Those first two games were two big team wins, for sure. They felt like finals game, and our guys really showed up to work. Nicholas Gaumont has been playing on another level and our captain Jacob Servant has really stepped up as a leader this post-season, leading by example and scoring the game-winner in back-to-back games.”
Things are looking good for the Clarence team as they stand one game away from sweeping the Rangers. Coach Kosch feels that the key to victory for his team is to keep up the hard work, and success will follow: “The formula hasn’t changed in the finals. Defence and discipline are still our number one priorities. I keep telling the guys that as long as we’re playing the right way, good things will happen. Everything is in our favour now, and the pressure is on the Rangers.”
Game four will be held in South Grenville next Saturday. If a game five is necessary, the game will be played at the Clarence Creek Recreation Centre on Sunday.
