Rebels suffer rare losses

Posted Feb 2, 2012 By Bill Freeman

EMC Sports -Campbellford -After reeling off 16 wins in 20 games and catapulting solidly into third place in the Empire B Junior C Hockey League, the Campbellford Rebels suffered a rare three-loss setback dropping games to first-place Picton, Amherstview and Napanee.

The Rebels (23-13-0) had pulled to within three points of Picton (26-10-1) before blowing a 3 -0 lead and dropping a 5 -3 road game to the Pirates January 26.

Campbellford was edged 3 -2 at home Saturday by third-place Amherstview (18-18-2) and fell 4 -3 in Napanee (15-17-5) Monday with a pair of crucial third-period powerplay goals by the Raiders.

The Rebels, with four games to go in the regular season, have a home and home set with Picton this weekend and will try to close the seven-point gap. The Rebels are in Picton Thursday night then host the Pirates in Warkworth Saturday.

Goals by Lucas Hooley, Connor Turland in the first period and another by Nick Orton to open the second gave Campbellford a 3 -0 lead in Picton. But three goals in less than four minutes midway through the second frame erased that lead. A goal by Pat Milligan with 2:57 left in the second proved to be the winner. Mitch Rosborough scored an empty net goal with 40 seconds left to ice the win.

At home against the Jets, things were tied 1 -1 after the first with Chris Roy scoring for Campbellford. Goals by Isaac De Sousa and Liam Vanburen in the second made it 3 -1. A powerplay marker by Steven Clarke at 3:22 of the third narrowed the score to 3 -2.

It was a see-saw battle Monday in Napanee with Luke Emmons opening the scoring for the Raiders 55 seconds into the game. Tyler McKeown, on a powerplay, evened it for Campbellford. Justin Crowley made it 2 -1 2:52 into the second but Danny Emmons negated the lead two minutes later.

Seamus McDougall gave Campbellford a 3 -2 lead early in the third but two powerplay goals by Jake Doseger and Emmons made it 4 -3 Napanee.