LAURIE WEIR
The Smiths Falls Bears have their backs against the boards after dropping Game 2 of the Bogart Cup final in a 3-1 loss to the Rockland Nationals on Sunday, April 6, at the Memorial Community Centre.
The Nationals now lead the best-of-seven Central Canada Hockey League championship series 2-0 after outlasting the Bears in front of 404 fans — and no, that’s not a website error.
Smiths Falls ran into a hot goaltender in Benoit Forget, who turned aside 34 of 35 shots to earn first-star honours. Rockland, meanwhile, made the most of their power-play chances, capitalizing once on seven attempts in a penalty-filled affair that saw the Bears rack up 22 minutes in infractions — including a game ejection.
Rockland jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Noah Laframboise and Tristan Poor. The Bears clawed back with a power-play marker late in the frame, as Quinn Booth buried his fifth of the playoffs, on the power play, with assists from Tyson Parker and Travis Ouellette.
But that would be it for Smiths Falls, who fired 19 shots in the second period alone but couldn’t beat Forget again. Rockland padded their lead just 31 seconds into the third on a power-play goal from alternate captain Jacob Charron, giving the Nationals the insurance they needed.
The Bears pulled goaltender Ethan Morrow multiple times in the dying minutes, but the comeback wasn’t in the cards.
Booth, who also served four minutes in penalties, was named the game’s second star. Laframboise took third-star honours for Rockland with his opening goal.
Tensions flared throughout the contest, with a total of 12 infractions called against Smiths Falls, including three on Davis Hails — two for slashing and one for cross-checking — before he was tossed early in the second period.
Morrow made 33 saves in the loss for the Bears, who now face the daunting task of trying to swing momentum on the road. Game 3 goes Tuesday night in Rockland.
Navan leads Carleton Place, 2-1, after a 5-1 win in Carleton Place on Sunday, April 6.
COMING UP FOR SMITHS FALLS
Game 3: Tuesday, April 8 at Rockland, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4: Wednesday, April 9 at Smiths Falls, 7:30 p.m.
Game 5 (if necessary): Friday, April 11 at Rockland, 7:30 p.m.
Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, April 13, at Smiths Falls, 4 p.m.
