Lions double Rebels in semi-final game one win – South Dundas Lions assistant captain Justin Shay (above left) put up three points with a goal and two assists in the team’s 6-3 win over the Char-Lan Rebels Monday night. The Lions opened the play-off semi-final at home, working towards their second Major-Midget B Rep championship in a row. Game two takes place in Williamstown March 19th. (The Leader/Blancher photo)nnMORRISBURG – The South Dundas Lions’ quest for back-to-back Major-Midget B Rep championships hit the final stretch with the start of round one of the playoffs March 5th in Morrisburg. The team faced off against the Char-Lan Rebels in the first-to-five-point semi-final series.nnThe Rebels, who won the season-series two games to one in the regular season,were responsible for the Lions final loss of the season March 2nd. The Lions were hungry for a win before the home crowd March 5th.nnJustin Shay started the ball rolling, scoring an unassisted goal five minutes into the game for the Lions, getting past Rebels’ goalie Merek Clement, Lions led 1-0. Lions captain Jonah Bennis made it 2-0 six minutes later after being set up by Nicholas Brugmans. Rebels’ forward Riley Leroux struck with five seconds left in the first period, tipping the puck past Lions starting goalie Sam Waytowich. Lions led the Rebels 2-1 after the first period.nnEarly in the second period, Curtis Barkley (Shay, Lucas Bennis) made it 3-1 on drive down the ice. Less than a minute later, Brugmans added another goal on a breakaway down the ice after the handoff from Waytowich, Lions led the Rebels 4-1. Lucas added another just over a minute later just 20 seconds into a Lions power play (Oakley Beavers, Shay) making it 5-1 South Dundas. Char-Lan scored late in the period, cutting South Dundas’ lead to 5-2.nnFour minutes into the third period, Jonah scored on a breakaway to put the Lions ahead by four goals again. Late in the game, Char-Lan scored on the final power play of the game when Mathieu Giroux buried the puck low-glove side. The Lions kept control of the puck as the clock wound down, winning game one of the series 6-3.nn“This win feels awesome,” said Lions head coach Jamie Smith after the game. “It was a total team effort tonight and we played a complete game.”nnThe Lions will travel to Williamstown for game two of the series March 19th.
