Split with Smiths Falls keeps Carleton Place in CJHL playoff hunt
Posted Feb 4, 2010 By Jeff Maguire
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Tweet ThisEMC Sports - It wasn't easy, but Carleton Place Canadians scored an important home ice victory Sunday afternoon to remain in the thick of the fight for the eighth and final playoff position in the Central Junior Hockey League (CJHL).
Canadians came up with a tight 3-2 triumph over visiting Smiths Falls Bears to earn a split in the home and home weekend series between the arch rivals. In the process the locals moved within two points of idle Kemptville 73's who currently hold the last playoff place.
Carleton Place and Kemptville meet this weekend in another home and home set which will obviously have huge implications in terms of who secures the one remaining post season berth in the 12-team league.
The 73's, who are looking for their first playoff place in three seasons in the Junior A loop, have a distinct advantage! Heading into this week's action they held a big four games in hand on Canadians.
Although the expansion Carleton Place club remains the underdog, they are buoyed by the fact several of Kemptville's remaining games are against three-time defending champion Pembroke Lumber Kings (the clubs meet twice) and Brockville Braves (one remaining game).
Pembroke and Brockville are currently locked in a tight battle for first place overall in the CJHL. Lumber Kings remained a single point ahead of Braves Sunday by downing visiting Gloucester Rangers 5-2. Brockville held one game in hand heading into this week's action.
On paper Carleton Place has an easier schedule than Kemptville and is finished playing both Pembroke and Brockville.
Canadians have been hampered by injuries, including losing recently arrived forward Ryan Legace (he had looked outstanding in five appearances) with a broken wrist. Legace is out for the season along with defenceman Matt English.
Forward Zach Rodier missed the weekend series with Smiths Falls with a more minor hurt and goalie Francis Dupuis, picked up in a deadline trade with Gloucester Rangers, is also uncertain for the immediate future with a nagging injury.
"Yes, the injuries are frustrating," says Carleton Place head coach Jason Clarke. "But some other guys stepped up this weekend and I think we are still looking pretty good (for the playoffs)."
He acknowledges this weekend's games with Kemptville "are the two biggest games in franchise history so far."
Clarke is pleased with the effort shown against Bears saying, "There were 120 minutes of hockey played and we dominated for 100 minutes. They (Smiths Falls) had one good period - the second period Friday (in which Bears scored three unanswered).
"Late goals kill you and we gave up a goal with 12 seconds left (in first period) Friday. That hurt us going into that second period.
"We have to cut down on the (scoring) opportunities this weekend and if we do I think we'll be alright," the coach observes.
BIG WIN
Playing before 285 fans at Carleton Place and District Community Centre Sunday, the home team took advantage of 13 penalties called against the visitors, scoring a pair of powerplay goals to eke out a vital one-goal victory.
The win gave Carleton Place the season series between the bitter rivals. Canadians won four of six meetings!
Rookie defenceman Donovan Gardiner and fellow blueliner Rusty Hafner scored the powerplay goals for the locals. For Gardiner, a 16-year-old Carleton Place native (he has been outstanding this season) it was his seventh goal and 21st point in 49 games. Hafner, an 18-year-old from Toledo, Ohio has nine goals and 20 points. The durable Hafner has appeared in 51 of 52 contests.
Centre Ryan Lowe opened scoring with his seventh goal (he is third in team scoring with 35 points) early in the first period.
The visiting Bears, who are coached and managed by former Carleton Place resident Bill Bowker, got a shorthanded goal in the first period from Eric Carlson while Olivier Charette came up with a powerplay effort at 12:06 of the second. Charette's tally was the final scoring play of the afternoon as the third period was scoreless.
Brock Plouffe had two assists for the winners to take his impressive totals to 25 points, including 13 helpers, in just 22 games. Canadians' scoring leader Tyler Kotlarz collected his 21st assist to take his season tally to 44 points.
Carleton Place out shot Smiths Falls 34-28 with steady Scott Shackell making 26 saves for his 18th win against 17 setbacks.
Carleton Place resident Matt Jenkins was the hard luck loser for Bears despite making 31 saves.
With the win the Carleton Place record improved to 21-30-0-1 in their inaugural campaign. Smiths Falls was 16-30-0-3 Monday morning and appear destined to miss the post season.
Referee Peter Coleman whistled 23 penalties, 13 of those to the visitors. The only major was a late game misconduct handed to Bears' recent arrival Andrew Smith for inciting an opponent. Smith's penalty came with just two seconds left on the clock, but was one of 11 infractions in a testy final frame.
FELL SHORT
Friday in Smiths Falls the visiting Canadians left it too late as they tried to overcome the strong goaltending of Bears' George Grammenopoulos. Despite netting three unanswered in the third period, Carleton Place ended up dropping a 4-3 heartbreaker.
The loss put a slight dent in Canadians' playoff hopes. Meanwhile their nearest rival Kemptville gained a point, losing 3-2 to visiting Ottawa Junior Senators in a shootout Friday night. So despite the defeat 73's temporarily moved four points clear of Canadians in the battle for the final playoff place.
Grammenopoulos was definitely the difference for Bears who, with the win, moved within six points of Canadians in the Robinson Division standings. The 18-year-old goalie from Brooklin, Ontario (near Whitby) kicked out 32 shots as the visitors held a 35-26 advantage in that important department.
But it wasn't until 4:54 of the final period, after Bears had built a 4-0 advantage, that Kyle Phillips finally put one past Grammenopoulos to get Carleton Place on the board. It was the second goal in 19 games for the former Carleton Place Legion Kings (Junior B) star.
Phillips' tally was followed by a goal from another Carleton Place native. Light scoring winger Zach Farris notched just his fifth goal in 45 games. It came 25 seconds after Phillips' score to make it 4-2.
Carleton Place then used a powerplay opportunity to advantage. Plouffe, another former Carleton Place Junior B star, connected for his 12th goal as the visitors made a fist of it.
Plouffe's tally came at 12:26.
However, Grammenopoulos shut the door for the remaining seven minutes, 34 seconds to preserve the win for Smiths Falls and deny Carleton Place an opportunity to gain ground in their battle to make the playoffs in their inaugural campaign.
Charette, Perth native Mike McNamee, veteran Dustin Darou and Brandon Dennis did the early damage for Bears who led 1-0 and 4-0 at the intervals.
Referee Adam Brown called 11 minor penalties, eight of them against the home team. Canadians were just one for seven with the man advantage and that hurt. Bears were one for two!
Shackell made 22 stops and absorbed the loss in the Carleton Place cage.
Oddly, despite Canadians' territorial dominance Friday, the three star selection at Smiths Falls Memorial Centre was an all Bears affair. And Grammenopoulos, despite his brilliance, was the third selection!
Next up for Canadians is the crucial home and home against Kemptville. The opener with 73's goes in Kemptville tomorrow (Friday) night. Saturday the same teams will do battle at community centre. This marks the final two meetings of the campaign between Canadians and 73's. Face-off for both games is 7:30.
The following Friday (Feb. 12) Carleton Place will entertain Kanata Stallions in another key game. The puck drop for that one is also scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
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