Braves lose ground on league leaders

The Brockville Braves had a rough weekend, losing both games to the division leaders Cornwall and Pembroke. 

On Friday, Brockville started slowly and fell behind early to the high-powered Colts offense.  Brockville took too many penalties at key points in the game, giving the league leading power-play far too many opportunities.  Each time the Braves pulled a goal back, the Colts answered with the man advantage restoring their lead. 

The Colts scored the only goal of the opening period despite being outshot 10-4. 

In the second period, Cornwall came out with more energy and matched Brockville in shots and on the scoreboard, as the teams traded goals.  Scott Dawson made it a one-goal game with just under four minutes remaining in the second period. 

The Colts made it 3-1 before the two-minute mark of the third period, but once again Brockville fought back through Zak Zaremba’s 13th of the year on the next shift. 

The Colts put the game out of reach with their special teams, scoring a power-play goal at the ten-minute mark, followed by a short-handed marker minutes later. 

Sebastien Gingras scored a consolation goal for the hosts with five minutes remaining, but Brockville couldn’t pull any closer.  Cornwall’s top line dominate the score-sheet, with Laliberte, and the Spink brothers garnering 10 points collectively. 

On Sunday, Brockville travelled to Pembroke, renewing their bitter rivalry with the Lumber Kings. 

After opening the scoring through Kyle Armstrong’s 12th goal of the year.  From their the game got away from the Braves as Pembroke scored seven unanswered goals over the next 30 minutes. 

Brockville couldn’t stop the onslaught from the Kings.  The hosts scored three power-play goals during the seven-goal stretch and fired 35 shots at the Brockville goal.  Gingras scored a late goal before Pembroke made it 8-2, ending a poor weekend for the Braves.

Brockville will be looking to bounce back this weekend, when they host a pair of games Friday and Sunday against the Kanata Stallions and Smiths Falls Bears.  A pair of wins will be just what the Braves need to further separate themselves from the middle of the pack.  Game time on Friday is 7:30p.m. and 2:30p.m. on Sunday at the Memorial Centre.