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QMJHL Cape Breton Eagles

Eagles Huge Rally Falls Short in Overtime to Cataractes

October 19, 2017 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Cape Breton Eagles News Release


SYDNEY- A remarkable- and unusual- comeback for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles fell just short as the Shawinigan Cataractes escaped Centre 200 with a 7-6 overtime victory on Thursday night. The Eagles rallied from down 6-2 but the visitors prevailed in the extra session.

The same man who would eventually send the game to overtime opened the scoring as Mathias Laferrière would slip around Leon Denny and put the puck under Mikhail Denisov on the short side. But while the Eagles struck just 2:05 into the opening period, they would not leave the period with the lead as the Catractes would score the next three goals.

Samuel Blier would tie the game after Kyle Jessiman denied a prime Antoine Demers shot, but Blier scooped up the rebound. Then the Cataractes would take the lead on a give and go between former Eagle Vasily Glotov and David Vaysberg. After receiving a pass at the side of the net, it looked as though Vaysberg was in too tight but he swung the puck back to Glotov who made it a 2-1 game. Jessiman would then find himself handcuffed by a Demers shot that bounced off his glove and in.

There would be a response before period's end, however, thanks to some great work from Ryan Francis. Francis won at a battle of the puck along the blueline and found Drake Batherson at the top of the circles. Batherson was in prime shooting position but elected to slide a pass to Egor Sokolov in front of the net, who in turn swept it under Denisov.

Contrary to a high scoring first and third scoring period, the opening of the second stanza was quiet as it would take 15 minutes to find a goal. It would be Shawinigan captain Gabriel Sylvestre, deking through traffic and flipping it over Jessiman on the backhand. Blier would blast home his second of the night before period's end, and the Cataractes carried a 5-2 lead into the third frame. Jessiman was given the hook having let go of five goals on twelve shots.

It was another pedestrian start to a period as the third only found its first goal when Samuel Asselin beat new Cape Breton netminder Kevin Mandolese at 8:24. But at that point the game was turned completely upside down. 22 seconds after the Asselin goal, a Denny slashing penalty would put the Eagles on the power play.

Down four goals and with not a lot to lose, Cape Breton coach Marc-André Dumont elected to lift Mandolese for the extra attacker. The gamble worked as with good puck movement the Eagle power play found Drake Batherson in the left circle where he had plenty of time to hammer home a high shot by Denisov to make it a 6-3 game. With his 11th goal of the season Batherson moved into the QMJHL lead in goal scoring.

A penalty to Cape Breton's Gabriel Proulx shortly after seemed to kill the momentum for the home team. But a penalty to Jérémy Manseau would ensure the Eagles would have an abbreviated 1:02 power play. It was almost made 6-4 before Cape Breton went back to the man advantage as Brooklyn Kalmikov deked around Denisov but the Shawinigan netminder extended at the last minute to keep the three goal margin.

Even with an abbreviated power play, Dumont elected to go back to the well and pull Mandolese once more, and with the same result- a Batherson one time from the left dot to cut the margin to 6-4. The goal came with ample time to complete a comeback, 7:35 remaining.

There would have to be one even strength goal in order for the home side to get back in the game and it would come off the stick off Ross MacDougall. MacDougall, who had been held scoreless until Wednesday night against Chicoutimi, blasted a shot through traffic and a screen and it was a one goal game with just under five minutes to play.

Shawinigan would surely expect the Eagles to pull the goalie trailing by one late, but what likely didn't expect another 6 on 4 attack. But with 2:23 go to Alex DeGagné was sent off for hooking and Dumont played the hot hand, pulling his goaltender to start the power play for another 6 on 4 following a timeout. It didn't take long to pay dividends- just 12 seconds into the man advantage, Laferrière found the tying marker out in front of the goal to send Centre 200 into a frenzy.

Immediately following the goal Daniel Renaud would call a timeout to settle down his Cataractes. The Eagles had the bulk of the chances to conclude the first 60 minutes but the regulation portion finished with the two sides tied at six.

With a point in the bank for both squads, it was the visitors that had all the opportunity in the extra session, outshooting Cape Breton 3-0 in the fourth period. Demers would use Phélix Martineau as a screen to beat Jessiman and Shawinigan secured the extra point.

Denisov picked up the win after stopping 28 of 34 shots. Mandolese took the loss in relief, stopping 13 of 15 shots. It was the first time in 2017-18 the Screaming Eagles made a mid-game goaltending replacement.

Cape Breton next heads to Saint John for a special 2 PM against the Sea Dogs on Sunday. You can catch all the action starting with the pre-game show with Patrick McNeil at 1:30 on 1270 AM CJCB or online at http://www.cjcbradio.com. DAIRY QUEEN THREE STARS OF THE GAME 1. Mathias Laferrière (Cape Breton) 2 goals, 5 shots 2. Samuel Blier (Shawinigan) 2 goals, 1 assist 3. Drake Batherson (Cape Breton) 2 goals, 2 assists

Scratches For Cape Breton: Peyton Hoyt (injury), Kyle McGrath (broken collarbone), Noah Laaouan

Scratches For Shawinigan: Cameron Askew, Jason Horvath (injury), Mathieu Samson (injury), Charlie Roy (suspension), Frédérik Théorêt

Final Shots On Goal: 34-27 in favour of Cape Breton

Cape Breton Power Play: 3/6

Shawinigan Power Play: 0/4 -30- For additional information, please contact: Marc-Andre Dumont GM & Head Coach Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 902-577-2682 ma.dumont@capebretoneagles.com

Check out the Cape Breton Eagles Statistics



Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from October 19, 2017


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