QMJHL Cape Breton Eagles

Eagles Comeback Falls Short in Sherbrooke

Published on February 23, 2018 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Cape Breton Eagles News Release


SHERBROOKE - A pair of short handed markers wasn't enough for the Screaming Eagles on Friday night as they lost a tight game to the Sherbrooke Phoenix by a score of 3-2.

While the Eagles would make their mark down a man in the middle period, it was a series of early penalties that put the team in trouble. After Cape Breton carried the opening sequences, Sherbrooke would gain momentum when Declan Smith was sent off for four minutes for high sticking. The Phoenix would then have a full two minute 5 on 3 when Adam McCormick was given a delay of game penalty for shooting the puck over the glass.

It was the combination of the Poulin brothers that would give the Phoenix the first goal for the game. 47 seconds into the two man advantage Samuel Poulin would put a shot on goal and his older brother Nicolas would chase the rebound down to give the home side the lead. The Eagles were actually able to kill off the balance of the penalty but momentum seemed to be on the side of the Phoenix as shortly after 5 on 5 action resumed, Sherbrooke would score again. Yann-Félix Lapointe jumped into the play and his shot seemed to handcuff Kevin Mandolese and it was a 2-0 game.

Early in the middle stanza Luke Green would add to lead would an impressive individual effort. He skated the length of the ice and flipped it over Mandolese and the Phoenix lead 3-0 just under two minutes into the middle stanza. At the halfway mark of the period, it seemed like everything was going the way of Sherbrooke when a potential Phélix Martineau goal was disallowed, and the Eagles captain was given a four minute penalty for highsticking. Unlike the earlier penalty to Smith, Cape Breton would kill this one off- and then some.

Tyler Hylland would put the visitors on the board, catching his own rebound and firing it by Reilly Pickard at the 11:57 mark for a short handed tally. Exactly one minute later, Gabriel Proulx further reduced the lead were a highlight reel effort. Proulx wheeled around Thomas Grégoire and then when it appeared he had lost the puck he reached back and in one motion reclaimed it and whipped the puck by Pickard. It was a one goal contest with under eight minutes to play in the second frame.

There would be no further scoring in the contest. After surviving penalty trouble in the first forty minutes, the Eagles would have two power play opportunities but couldn't find a tying goal in a third period that saw just 13 shots between the two teams combined.

With a little over two minutes to play Marc-André Dumont would lift Mandolese for an extra attacker. The Eagles would keep the puck in the Phoenix end for the bulk of the two minutes but weren't able to solve Pickard again. Egor Sokolov registed a shot on goal in the dying seconds but it was turned aside and it was a loss to begin the Screaming Eagles road trip.

Pickard stopped 26 of 28 shots in the victory, while Mandolese turned aside 28 of 31 shot in the loss.

Cape Breton continues their season long road trip Saturday night in Victoriaville. The game will be available on 1270 CJCB, beginning with the pre-game show at 7:30 with Patrick McNeil.

THREE STARS OF THE GAME 1. Nicolas Poulin (Sherbrooke) 1 goal, 1 assist 2. Samuel Poulin (Sherbrooke) 1 assist, 6 shots 3. Tyler Hylland (Cape Breton) 1 goal, 11 wins on 18 faceoffs

Scratches For Cape Breton: Peyton Hoyt (upper body injury), Ian Smallwood, Kyle McGrath

Scratches For Sherbrooke: Hugo Roy (injury), Colby Johnson, Quinn Hanna

Final Shots On Goal: 31-28 in favour of Sherbrooke

Cape Breton Power Play: 0/4

Sherbrooke Power Play: 1/7

Check out the Cape Breton Eagles Statistics

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2018


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