Arnprior Packers tuned up for the playoffs with a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Junior Canadians Wednesday at the Nick Smith Centre.
It was a game postponed from September due to ice inavailibilty in the home barn.
The Martin division squad jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the strength of two power-play goals, but did not score again after the 5:55 mark of the second frame.
Rowan Casey got the Green Shirts on the scoreboard at the 12:45 mark of period number two, followed by four unanswered Packer goals from Carter Downs, Brendan Lynch, Downs again- and an empty-netter on the power play from Ian Kennedy late in the third.
Shots on goal were an even 39 from both squads.
The Junior Canadians took seven of the ten penalties in the final frame.
147 fans took in the Wednesday-nighter at the Nick Smith Centre that saw goalie Tristan Hodgson chosen first star, with Carter Downs on the strength of his two markers selected second star.
Arnprior finishes the season in a runaway in the Richardson Division with a 34-10 record, the team’s best record over a 44 game schedule. (The season is just shy of the 2011-12 Valley Division winning percentage of .786 when the club played 42 games).
Smiths Falls Junior Bears will try to break the second-place log jam with their final regular-season encounter against the Ottawa West Golden Knights this evening, before playoff matchups can be finalized.
By Rick Stow