Bantam Rangers lead playoff race

The Sackville Bantam Rangers sit in first place in the Bantam C playoff division of the South East New Brunswick Hockey League after a convincing 3-1 road victory over Dieppe-Memramcook Capitols on March 2.

The Rangers are unbeaten in four playoff contests and with just three games remaining, the team is looking forward to the chase for the championship banner.

Early in the first period, Caleb Silliker stopped a breakaway. Sackville responded with solid team play and strong passing throughout the game.

The defence pair of Robert MacQuarrie and Jordan Hicks turned aside several rushes.

Caleb Spencer scored on the powerplay at 5:33, when he slid home a rebound from a shot by Simon Bruce. Shots were 8-2 for Sackville in the first period.

It was more of the same in the second period. Mitchell Green and Devon Richards moved the puck smartly and with confidence to the forwards from their own end.

The Rangers scored a shorthanded goal at 5:47.

Brendan Johnston and Danika Acton combined to pressure the defence and they coughed up the puck.

Johnston took it to the net and banged home his own rebound. Morgan Wells rushed to the net late in the period but was stopped.

The Capitols made it 2-1 with just 30 seconds remaining in the period.

The Rangers outshot their hosts 10-4 in the second period.

The Rangers killed off a penalty early in the third period on solid work by Abbi Burns, Sebastian Leblanc, Wells, and Acton.

The line of Bruce, Leblanc, and Spencer hemmed the Capitols in their own end for over a minute.

When Sackville had a power play in the middle of the period, Burns fired a shot that was kicked aside by the goalie.

Bruce pounced on the loose puck and scored on a wraparound for a 3-1 lead. Selena Estabrooks worked hard on the backcheck to break up a rush.

Sillker made two key saves late in the period to preserve the win, with the shots at 25-10 for the game favouring Sackville.

The Rangers now head to the Joe Lamontagne Tournament in Cole Harbour March 19-21.