Glens, Rebels to renew hostilities tonight in Williamstown
County’s junior B hockey teams battling for final playoff position
Tonight, February 13, will see the second-to-last edition this junior B hockey season of the Battle of Glengarry, as the Char-Lan Rebels and Alexandria Glens are booked to take to the ice in Williamstown, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Both clubs are looking to snag the final playoff spot in the division, with the Ottawa West Golden Knights, Casselman Vikings, Ottawa Jr. Canadians, Embrun Panthers, and Winchester Hawks already having secured their respective post-season tickets.
The Glens and Rebels will be playing their 42nd game of the season tonight, and it’s Char-Lan that currently has the playoff edge, three points ahead of Alexandria in the standings.
The Glens have one more win, at 9, than the Rebels, though it’s Char-Lan with more points as the club has six overtime or shootout losses that still garnered the Rebels a point in the standings. Alexandria has just one loss in a game that extended beyond regulation time.
The team’s will collide once more in Williamstown, on February 19, with an opening puck drop set for 1:30 p.m.
The Glens probably need to win both head-to-head matches versus their county rivals, and even then will need a little help, looking for top-seeded Golden Knights to beat Char-Lan On February 17, in Williamstown. Game time for this one is set for 8 p.m.
Alexandria will also play Ottawa West, a night earlier, in Alexandria, starting at 8 p.m.
EOJHL notes
While Ottawa West currently holds first place in the Martin Division, Casselman is just a single point back (67 versus 66), and the teams are booked to collide twice in the final week of regular-season play. On February 15, the Golden Knights and Vikings will play in Ottawa, and then in the season finale, they’ll battle in Casselman on February 19, at 1:15 p.m.
The Vikings are also booked to play in Winchester against the fifth-ranked Hawks on February 16, at 8:15 p.m.
Over in the Richardson Division, the Carleton Place Jr. Canadians have clinched the division title, with the Arnprior Packers, Richmond Royals, and Smith Falls Bears joining them in the playoffs. The Athens Aeros, Perth Blue Wings, and Renfrew Timberwolves are battling for the final two post-season berths.
Mael Gendron, of the Casselman Vikings, was named the league’s goaltender of the month for January, sporting a 1.66 goals against average and 0.940 save percentage, in 7 wins.
Winchester Hawks defenceman Daniel Beauchemin was named D-man of January, having potted 4 goals and 12 assists.
The EOJHL’s top-ranked goaltender to date is Noah Paddock of the Ottawa Jr. Canadians. He sports a 2.10 GAA. He is part of a stellar netminding tandem for the club, as his partner in the hemp hut stands fifth overall with a 2.30 GAA. Gendron, of the Vikings, is seventh in the league rankings.
Offensively speaking, Spencer Bowes of the Perth Blue Wings leads the league in points with 70. Bradley Leblanc of the Casselman Vikings is tops in assists (46), and Jack Parker of the Ottawa West Golden Knights is first in goals scored (38).
The EOJHL held its all-star game on January 22 in Ottawa, with the Martin Division winning 5-4 over the Richardson. Martintown’s Donovan Francis, a member of the Alexandria Glens, picked up an assist in the game. Nolan MacMillan, who hails from Maxville and is a member of the Char-Lan Rebels, scored a goal and an assist for the winning side.