Pre-season high school hockey underway

With the start of the high school hockey season only weeks away, the race is shaping up to be much more balanced than one year ago.

At least, that's the conclusion that might be drawn from results of recent exhibition games.

Monday night at the Carmichael Arena, the Manitoulin Mustangs scored four times in the second period, doubling the Lasalle Lancers 4-2. Jaime Millet, Jacob Morrow, Tyler King and Matt Craig all pulled the trigger in a span of less than six minutes, helping overcome a 1-0 advantage for the Lancers.

Mike Lemieux broke the ice, beating Manitoulin goaltender Jordan Cristo, with Kyle Grant adding a final tally with just 13 seconds to play.

In the second game of the evening, Tyler Rivest snapped a 3-3 tie with 1:12 showing on the clock, lifting the Confederation Chargers to a 4-3 win over the St. Charles College Cardinals.

The goal came after Jamie Lafreniere and Blake Purcell scored with less than six minutes to play, helping St. Charles overcome a 3-1 deficit. Aaron Campbell opened the scoring for the Chargers, netting a short-handed marker in the first, with Bryceton Lalonde scoring the only goal of the middle frame for the Cards.

Campbell recorded his second of the night, this time on the power play, at 0:44 of the third, with Andrew Mackinnon doubling the lead 36 seconds later. Pre-season play continues this week and next, while the girls prepare to host the East-West games Friday, starting at 9 a.m. right through until 5 p.m. or so, at the Garson Arena.