Morrisburg Jr. Lions win two games on the road

WESTPORT – The Morrisburg Jr. Lions snapped a seven game losing skid and in doing so, started a new streak – back-to-back wins. Morrisburg played the Gatineau Hull-Volant and the Clarence Castors on the road last weekend, winning each game with seven goals.nnFirst up against the Hull-Volant on December 9 in Gatineau, the home side took an early 1-0 lead. Morrisburg did not get on the scoreboard until the final minute of the first period when Hudson Fetterly (from Rylan Iwachniuk) tied the game 1-1.nnThe teams traded goals midway through the second period, Ben Pilon’s unassisted goal kept the Lions level 2-2 with Hull-Volant. Gatineau added two more goals late in the period. Morrisburg trailed Gatineau 4-2 after 40 minutes.nnQuick work by Lions’ Captain Dean Lapier (Iwachniuk) and veteran d-man Connor Manderson (Keon Troccolli-Roik, Owen Fetterly) tied the game up in the opening two minutes of the third period.nnA breakaway goal by Troccolli-Roik with six minutes remaining gave the Lions the lead for the first time in the game. Empty net goals by Manderson and Troccolli-Roik in the final minute of play secured Morrisburg’s 7-4 over Gatineau.nnWith a win in their pocket, the Lions travelled to Westport for the National Capital Junior Hockey League’s “December Showcase” December 11. Morrisburg took on the Clarence Castors in the late game of the five game showcase featuring all 10 teams in the league.nnThe game was a season and junior career high for Troccolli-Roik, who netted a double hat-trick, contributing seven points (six goals, one assist.)nnMorrisburg led 2-1 after the first period, Troccolli-Roik scoring twice in the period. He added two more goals in the second period while the Lions defence held the Castors goalless. Morrisburg led Clarence 4-1 into the third period.nnManderson (Curran Gilmour, Iwachniuk) scored an insurance goal early in the third period, which Troccolli-Roik followed with one of his own three minutes later. Morrisburg led 6-1.nnThe Castors mounted a comeback halfway through the third period, scoring four goals within six minutes to make it a one goal game. An end-to-end play involving Lions goalie Andrew Brooks and Manderson set up Troccolli-Roik to restore the two goal lead with 45 seconds remaining in the game. Morrisburg held on for a 7-5 win over Clarence.nnIn addition to Troccolli-Roik’s six goal effort, he added two goals and assist against Gatineau for a nine-point weekend – also a junior hockey career high. Iwachniuk had four assists and Manderson a goal and three assists against the Castors. Brooks collected his third and fourth wins of the season, and an assist, in goal.nnThe double wins move Morrisburg two spots up the league standings to seventh place with 12 points (5-12-0-2). They are 10 points behind the Vankleek Hill Cougars.nnThe Lions enter the last weekend of league play in 2022 looking to defend a two-game winning streak against the St. Isidore Eagles December 17, puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. Morrisburg will travel to Gatineau the following day for a rematch against the Hull-Volant.