News

The Smiths Falls Bears staved off elimination to night in game four of their best-of-seven CCHL quarterfinal series  with the Cornwall Colts.

But they didn’t make it easy on their fans.

The Bears held a 2-0 lead after the second period, following a scoreless first, with goals from Cole Busschaert and Nicholas Coates.

In the third, Cornwall’s Grant Cooper got one back but Scott Gervais scored for Smiths Falls on the power play to reclaim a two-goal lead.

Cornwall’s Nick Lalonde made it interesting with his goal at the 15:16 mark, but that was as far as they could get, as the Bears held on for the much-needed 3-2 upset.

Bradley Dobson had the win in nets with 35 saves.

Game five will go back to Cornwall on Thursday night for a 7:30 p.m. start, and if necessary, game six will be back in Smiths Falls Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Award presentations

Prior to the start of the game, two Bears were recognized for their contributions to the team.

Each year, the CCHL recognizes league players and team officials for outstanding accomplishments during the regular season through the presentations of individual awards. The winners are selected through votes from all member teams.

The league’s statistician, Peter Peckett was on hand to present Busschaert with the all star team forward award, and to Brett Garvey, who recently set a new record for games played in the CCHL. Garvey played in 289 games during his career in the CCHL; that’s more than any other player in the league’s 54-year history.

Game 3

It was a 6-0 Cornwall win in game three in Cornwall in front of 774 fans.

Bo Taylor was tagged with the loss, facing 45 shots, as the Colts held 1-0 and 2-0 period leads before adding four – including two power play goals – in the third period.

Lalonde scored two and assisted on one for the Colts. Singles came from Tanner Spink, Dean Derouchie, Grant Cooper and Jeremy McFarlane.

Game stars were goalie Liam Lascelle, (first), and Lalonde (second) for Cornwall, and Stuart Harley (third) for Smiths Falls.

Game 2

The Colts took a 3-1 early lead on Friday in Smiths Falls in front of 440 fans after the first period.

Brennan Markell, Konnor MacCormick (power play) and Lalonde had the first three goals for the visitors before the Bears could get on the board.

It was William Searle on the power play from Tre Folkes and Harley to end the period down by two.

Searle added the Bears second marker at 8:21 of the second, assisted by Kyle Dowdall and Cole Busschaert.

And in the third period, it was Ryan Gibson with the equalizer from Harley at 18:08 forcing the extra periods.

It wasn’t until 7:59 of the second overtime frame that Ethan Mulhearn was able to get past Taylor in nets for the win.

Lascelle earned the win in nets with 41 saves.

Game stars were Mulhearn (first) for Cornwall, Searle (second) for Smiths Falls, and Brennan Markell (third) for Cornwall.

Game 1

In Cornwall on Thursday, March 16, it was an overtime opening win for the Colts to kick off this series in front of 880 fans.

It was a two-all tie after the first period with goals from Coates and Busschaert scoring for Smiths Falls with assists from Michael McKenney, Scott Gervais, Dowdall and Michael Larose. MacCormick and Markell had the markers for the Colts.

After a scoreless second, Cornwall went ahead at 12:19 with a goal from Christopher Mammas.

It was Busschaert who tied the rally at 16:30, assisted by Larose and Dowdall resulting in the overtime period.

Cornwall’s Sebastian Dirven had the winner at 1:15, assisted by Spink and Nick Lalonde.

It was Lascelle with the win with 17 saves, while Taylor took the loss with 32 saves.

Game stars were Dirven (first) for Cornwall, Justin McRae (second) for Cornwall, and Busschaert (third) for Smiths Falls.