The Cougars have one game left in their regular season schedule. A win could make a difference for their fifth-place position in the league standings. They are guaranteed a berth in the playoffs when that begins in March.
The last week of games saw the Cougars clip the South Grenville Rangers 4-3 in an overtime match and hammer the Westport Rideaus 9-2. Saturday night in Clarence Creek, the Cougars and the Castors fought each other to a two-all draw.
Cougars against Rangers
The Family Day long weekend began with the Cougars on the road last Friday night against the Rangers.
The Rangers got on the scoreboard first with a goal by Mason Neelin, assisted by Toby Johnson and Blake Byrnes, during the last two minutes of first period.
The Rangers pushed their lead to 2-0 almost as soon as the second period began with Ethan Wooller popping a goal in during the first 30 seconds, with an assist from Colin Stacey. Three minutes before the end of the period Rowan Mcpherson punched in the first point for Vankleek Hill, with help from Zachary Bigras and Xavier Sauvé.
Third period Cougars assistant captain Joshua Desjardins tied up the score two minutes into the period, with assistance from Bigras and Jake Lalonde. Eight minutes later Zach White, aided by Stacey, broke the tie in South Grenville’s favour. During the final four minutes of the period, Andy Lightle-Blais tied the score back up, with help from Bigras and Desjardins.
The overtime period lasted just one second as Bigras fired the winning goal into the South Grenville net. Desjardins and Cougars captain Mikael Bissonnette assisted on the goal.
Cougars versus Castors
Saturday night in Clarence Creek, the Castors opened the scoreboard with a mid-mark goal in first period from Tristan Bolduc, aided by Xavier Brunet and Nicholas Stepto.
Three minutes into second period Xavier Sauvé, assisted by Zachary Bigras, tied up the score. A power-play goal 10 minutes later from Alexandre Charlebois, assisted by Nikolas Guindon, broke the tie in the Castors favour. During the last five minuntes of the period, Maxime Laliberté got his own power-play opportunity and tied up the score again. Fellow Cougars John Mahoney and Joshua Desjardins assisted.
Neither side were able to score during third period and the game finished two-all.
Cougars sink Rideaus
Sunday night at home at the Robert Hartley Sports Complex Arena, the Cougars hammered the Westport Rideaus 8-2, starting with a pair of first-period goals within two minutes, including one unassisted, by Assistant Captain Joshua Desjardins. Laliberté and Mahoney assisted on the first goal.
The first-period scoring for the Cougars continued throughout the second half of the period with Thomas Kelly, aided by Rowan Mcpherson, firing in the third point, followed two minutes later by Alexandre Chenier, assisted by Desjardins and Mahoney. Laliberté fired in a goal about four minutes before the end of the period, with assistance from Bissonnette and Mathieu Lévèsque. Cole Smith got Westport onto the scoreboard with an unassisted goal two minutes before the end of the period.
Second period saw the Cougars extend their lead by two more points with goals near the start of the period by Bissonnette and at the end of the period by Mahoney. Desjardins and Mahoney assisted Bissonnette while Desjardins and Lightle-Blais helped with Mahoney’s power-play goal.
Third period belonged to the Cougars with a goal by Hayden Berryere, aided by Matthew Leaver, and an unassisted goal from Rowan Mcpherson.
The last game of the regular season for the Cougars is February 24 in Gatineau against the Volant.
