CARP – The West Carleton Inferno are heating up at exactly the right time.

The National Capital Junior C Hockey League (NCJHL) team won their third game in a row Saturday, Feb. 1 beating the Morrisburg Lions (3-26-1) 7-2 allowing them to hold on to the last playoff spot for another week.

The Inferno hit the 10-win plateau for the first time in team history and now have a 10-20-0 record with just a handful of games left in the season. The Inferno now sit in third in the five-team NCJHL West Division with 20 points. They are tied in points with the Metcalfe Jets (9-19-2) but hold on to the final playoff spot due to having more wins. It is unlikely the Inferno will be able to catch Gatineau Hull-Vollant (14-16-0) who are in fifth in the East Division. The top eight teams make the NCJHL playoffs regardless of division.

The Inferno, playing in front of the home crowd in Carp on Feb. 1, ended the first period with a tight 3-2 lead over the Lions. West Carleton added another goal in the second and then pounded in three more in the third to secure the 7-2 win.

It was another big game for Carp’s Corey Symington, 21, who had one goal and three helpers. Symington now has 16 points (eight goals and eight assists) over his last three NCJHL games. Symington has 47 points this season and has clawed his way up to seventh in league scoring. His 28 goals has him in fourth in league goal scoring. Vankleek Hill’s Samuel Lemay leads the league in goals with 33, while North Dundas’ Justin Lefebvre leads the league in points with 61.

Almonte’s Colin Gourgon, 21, also had four points for the Inferno in the game (two goals, two assists). Dunrobin defenceman Rob McCoy, 20, had a goal and two assists in the game.

The Inferno have gone 6-4 in their last 10 games but still have work to do to cement their first-ever playoff berth. The team has four games left in the NCJHL regular season and three of them are against the Metcalfe Jets, so the Inferno have full control over its own destiny. The Inferno play the Jets in Metcalfe on Friday (Feb. 7); their next home game is Feb. 8 against Gatineau; play the Jets in Carp on Feb. 15 end the season on Family Day (Feb. 17) at home against the Jets which may be the team’s most important game it has ever played in its brief history.

The NCJHL has set the date for its 2019-2020 All Star Game. This year the Metcalfe Jets will host the game at Larry Robinson Arena (2785 8th Line Rd.) on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) starting at 6 p.m. There will be an upstairs beer garden and special guest emcee Liam MaGuire will host the proceedings.

Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and under 10 are admitted free. If West Carleton Online had a vote (and we don’t) we would love to see the Inferno’s Symington (who must be a shoe-in at this stage) and McCoy – both West Carleton natives – make the squad. We’ll let you know who made the All-Star team when announced.

Rivermen hosting playoffs Friday

KINBURN – The Eastern Ontario Senior A Hockey League (EOSHL) season is over and now it’s time for the West Carleton Rivermen to get serious. Playoff serious.

The inaugural season of the EOSHL, which wrapped up Feb. 2, was a huge success for the Rivermen leading the league wire-to-wire with a 14-2-1-1 record. They shared a nearly identical record with the Cornwall Prowlers who finished second with a 14-2-2-0 record.

Winning the four-team division means the Rivermen will face off against the Maxville Millionaires who had a shabby 2-16-0-0 record in the regular season. Cornwall will face the Deseronto Bulldogs (5-12-0-1) in the other opening round series.

EOSHL playoff rounds are the best of three and the Rivermen will be hosting their first ever home playoff game this Friday (Feb. 7) starting at 7:30 p.m. – an hour earlier than regular season games – at the Kinburn Cavanagh Sensplex (5670 Carp Rd.).

“We want to pack the arena with kids for the playoffs and all of our games will be free admission for all kids 16 and under as long as they are accompanied by a paying adult,” team owner, player and Galetta resident Adrian Moyes said. “Please come cheer us on at our first ever playoff game as we take on the Maxville Millionaires. We can’t wait to pack the arena with all our amazing fans and bring a championship home to West Carleton.”

As usual, there is the potential for lots of giveaways.

If we get more than 200 paid fans we will raffle off a 46 inch Smart TV,” Moyes said. “We’d like to invite all the local hockey associations and teams out with their jerseys on to show us how many little hockey fans there are in West Carleton. Our Ian Moyes Sales Representative – Royal LePage Team Realty Chuck-a-puck Jackpot is also up over $450 so come take your chance at winning that jackpot.”

And if you are up for celebrating, join the team after the game.

“Also please join the team after the game at the West Carleton Amateur Sports Club – WCASC for a beverage or two and a meet and greet with some of our guys!. We look forward to seeing the best fans in the EOSHL cheering us on as we try and bring a EOSHL Championship home to West Carleton.”