Eagles Rally for Shootout Victory over Wildcats
December 28, 2018 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Cape Breton Eagles News Release
SYDNEY - The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles picked up where they left off with a thrilling come from behind 4-3 victory over the Moncton Wildcats at Centre 200 on Friday night. It was the first game following the league's Christmas break and the 12th win in 14 games for the Screaming Eagles.
It was a promising start for the Eagles who came out flying in a fast paced first period that saw no whistles for the first two and a half minutes. Although the home side carried the play there were no goals to be found in the opening 20 minutes, as Moncton was able to kill off two Cape Breton power plays. The Eagles outshot the Wildcats 11-6 in the first period.
Moncton would earn their first power play in the late stages of the first stanza, and it would carry over to the next period. The Wildcats wouldn't score on that man advantage but would open the scoring in the first three minutes of the middle frame when Kyle Foreman elected to keep on a 2 on 0 and the puck knuckled by Kevin Mandolese.
The visitors would build on that lead as Charles-Antoine Giguère, playing his first game as a Wildcat, cut up the right wing and was able to fend off Wilson Forest to put the puck by Mandolese to double the lead. Then the Cats would extend the advantage on a bizarre power play marker- Mandolese came out to play the puck, his clearing attempt banked off an Eagles player and into the net. After a lengthy review, it was deemed a good goal. Moncton carried a 3-0 lead into the third period after Mathias Laferrière was denied by the glove of Francis Leclerc late in the middle period.
It would be the third period, and the third time, that would be the charm for the Eagles as the comeback began. Moncton took three consecutive minor penalties in the opening eight minutes of the third period, and it would catch up with them. Ryan Francis was inserted into the top power play unit of the third power play of the frame and his assist would begin a sequence that would end with a Mitchell Balmas one timer that landed under the crossbar. A goal review would upload the marker and the Eagles were on the board.
Balmas would strike again at even strength, fishing his own rebound from out of the blue paint and past Leclerc at the 11:06 mark. Less than three minutes after the goal, the Eagles would go to the power play again, and this time it was Egor Sokolov wiring a one timer by the Moncton netminder to tie the game and send Centre 200 into a frenzy.
Overtime would see a frantic exchange of chances, with among the best saves being Mandolese denying Adam Capanelli and Leclerc turning aside Declan Smith. The game would head to a shootout.
Sydney native Derek Gentile, just acquired from Charlottetown and making his Screaming Eagles debut, would shoot first in the shootout. Having notched two assists in the third period, Gentile would open the shooting scoring for an encore. After Mandolese turned aside Jeremy McKenna, Balmas would be denied by Leclerc, and a miss by Jakob Pelletier would give the Eagles a chance to win with their third shot.
It was the man who sent the game to overtime that would end it in a shootout. Sokolov came up the middle of the ice and ripped a shot over Leclerc to secure two points for the Screaming Eagles.
Mandolese picked up the win, stopping 25 of 28 shots in the game plus two shootout attempts. Leclerc took the loss after stopping 27 of 30 shots.
In addition to Gentile, defenseman Nathan Larose made his debut for the Screaming Eagles after being acquired from Saint John. The 18 year old was 0 on the +/- and registered one hit. Newly acquired Eagles forward Shawn Boudrias missed the game due to illness.
The Screaming Eagles will now play their final home game of 2018 when they host the Halifax Mooseheads in the opening game of the Hurley Cup, a two game total goal series to determine Nova Scotian hockey supremacy. The game is at 2 PM on Sunday, December 30th. Tickets can be purchased at the Centre 200 box office, by phone at 902-564-2200 or online at https://tickets.capebreton.ca/Online/default.asp
Additionally, the Screaming Eagles will be holding a free skate for fans with the players at Centre 200 on Saturday, December 29th, at 2 PM.
THREE STARS OF THE GAME 1. Mitchell Balmas (Cape Breton) 2 goals, 7 shots 2. Derek Gentile (Cape Breton) 2 assists 3. Christian Huntley (Moncton) 1 shot
Scratches For Cape Breton: Shawn Boudrais (illness), Liam Kidney, Ian Smallwood
Scratches For Moncton: Alexander Khovanov (World Juniors), Simon LeCoultre (World Juniors), Ozzie King (injury), Dylan Seitz (suspension)
Final Shots On Goal: 30-28 in favour of Cape Breton
Cape Breton Power Play: 2/7
Moncton Power Play: 1/4
Attendance: 3491
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2018
- Big Impact from New Islanders Leads to Victory over Mooseheads - Charlottetown Islanders
- Eagles Rally for Shootout Victory over Wildcats - Cape Breton Eagles
- White Adds Hat-Trick as Sea Dogs Thump Titan - Saint John Sea Dogs
- New-Look Islanders Welcome Familiar Face in Keith Getson and Mooseheads - Charlottetown Islanders
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