Weekend junior sweep for Renegades; Reid, Ryan light senior lamps

The CBR Renegades recorded a pair of weekend victories to keep pace with the Mount Pearl Mark’s Blades for top spot in the ultra-competitive Mary Brown’s St. John’s Junior Hockey League.

The Renegades and Blades are neck and neck for first place in the eight-team junior circuit, setting up a big showdown between the two teams 7:15 next Sunday night at The Glacier in Mount Pearl.

In the meantime, the Renegades got three goals from Tyler Nickson, a goal and an assist from Nicholas David and two helpers from Drew Stonehouse to beat the St. John’s Caps 5-3 at the C.B.S. Arena Saturday. Friday night at the Bay Arena in Bay Roberts, Andrew Barron scored on the Renegades ninth shot in the shootout to stake CBR to a 3-2 win over the homestanding C.B.N. Stars.

Goaltenders Jordan Blackwood of the Renegades and Riley Akerman of the Stars were outstanding.

In another game Saturday, at the Goulds Arena, Tyler Planetta had a goal and an assist, and Matthew Templeman had two assists as the Southern Shore Breakers beat the Avalon Capitals 4-3. For the Capitals, Jared Lush had a goal and assist and Coady Barron assisted twice.

Sunday at the Trinity-placentia Stadium in Whitbourne, the homestanding Flyers beat the Capitals 5-4 in overtime. The Flyers led 4-1 with eight minutes left in the third period , but the Capitals came back to tie the game before the Flyers came away with the win in the extra session.

Meanwhile, in provincial senior hockey play over the weekend, teams from the former Central-west senior league registered wins over teams in the former East Coast senior circuit.

In Clarenville at the Eastlink Events Centre, the homestanding Caribous completed a sweep of the St. John’s Caps with an 8-6 win Sunday.

The game featured a pair of outstanding individual performances: Kevin Reid scored five of the Caribous’ goals, while ageless Terry Ryan enjoyed an early birthday gift — he turns 42 today — with a four-goal game.

Clarenville doubled St. John’s 4-2 Saturday night.

At the Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium Sunday, the Grand Falls-windsor Cataracts beat the Southern Shore Breakers 7-3, with Mike Cole and Brandon Bussey each scoring twice for the winners.

Saturday night at the Steele Community Centre, Brandon Hynes fired four goals as the Gander Flyers defeated the Breakers 6-3.