A Night to Celebrate...

by Josh Rowlands

North Dundas Rockets 7, South Stormont Mustangs 5

Chesterville & District Arena — Oct 4, 2025.

How it unfolded

The North Dundas Rockets unveiled their 2024–25 Champions banner at center ice, presenting a confident, no-frills statement of intent for the new season. In classic red-and-cream sweaters, the leadership group anchored the photo—captain front and center flanked by the rocket leadership with the bold black-and-gold banner. A polished trophy on the ice completed the scene, while officials and supporters looked on from behind the glass. The composition says everything: disciplined lineup, clean branding, and hardware up front. It’s equal parts celebration and challenge—proof of last year’s standard and a clear signal that the bar hasn’t moved down an inch, oh and there happened to be a pretty good game right after it as well...

The first period was bonkers. South Stormont ripped off four goals and did it every which way: a shorthanded opener from Marc Beckstead, even-strength from Ben Lapier, a power-play strike by Beckstead again, then another shorty with three seconds left from Isaac Barr. North Dundas kept themselves attached to the game with two from Eric Locke, including a power-play marker. 4–2 Mustangs after one, and the penalty box got more traffic than the neutral zone. 

The second period flipped the script. North Dundas poured in three at even strength to take the lead: Adam Barkley at 5:07, Andrew Radjenovic at 1:27, and Jarrett Burton on a power play with 20 seconds left. From 2–4 down to 5–4 up in twenty minutes. That’s a momentum swing and then some. 

In the third, Ben Blasko made it 6–4 with 14:32 left. Justin McRae answered for South Stormont at 8:42 to keep it tight, but Dean Byvelds iced it with an empty-netter in the final minute. 

Final: 7–5 Rockets 

Stars of the game

  1. Eric Locke (NDR) — 2 goals, 1 assist, and the rope the team used to climb out of the first-period hole.

  2. Marc Beckstead (SSM) — 2 goals, both massive in the first, including a shorty.

  3. Cam Bakker (NDR) — steady at the back and on the puck for the ENG sequence. 

Bottom line

North Dundas survived a chaotic first, owned the second, and managed the third. It wasn’t art. It was effective. For an early-season benchmark, it screams two things: the Rockets can drive play when they commit to pace, and the Mustangs have dangerous counterpunching off the kill that you ignore at your own peril.