Purr-fect start for young Lions

The Lac St. Louis AAA Lions have come out of the gates roaring.

The Lions, with seven regulars out of the line-up due to injuries or suspensions, won their home opener 2-1 against the Cantonniers de Magog last Friday night at the Dollard Civic Centre and then won a road game 5-3 Sunday against the Blizzard du Séminaire St. François, the defending league champions.

Right winger Joseph Manno and defenceman Philippe Saviuk (the only returning Lions player from last season) notched goals in the home opener for the Lions while centre Samuel Lafontaine scored twice on Sunday along with tallies from Saviuk, Manno and right winger Connor Gagnon in the road victory.

Carl Hozjan, in his first AAA midget start, was in nets for the Lions in the home opener and was named the game's first star. Patrick Earle manned the nets for the Lions in their second contest of the new Quebec Midget AAA season.

The new look Lions won't have the star power they had the previous two seasons with players like sniper Louis Leblanc, said Lions head coach Danny Dupont.

"It will have to be a team effort for us to have success," the coach said Monday. "We have a good defence and are decent in nets. We will have to grind out some wins."

The Lions play two road games this Friday and Saturday against Les Albatros de l'école Secondaire Notre-Dame and return home to host the Draveurs du Collège Esther-Blondin on Sept. 19 at the Civic Centre.