Eagles Set for Big Week at Home as Playoffs Approach - Eagles Recap 02/21/2024
February 20, 2024 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Cape Breton Eagles News Release
Ever-changing Playoff Picture
As we near the final week of February, the QMJHL's eastern conference playoff picture is anything but set in stone as teams continue to jostle for position within a congested league standings.
With Moncton's recent struggles continuing and a string of second half surges by the Eagles, Oceanic and Saguenéens, the final 15 games of the season will prove to be crucial in determining first round matchups in the league's eastern conference.
As of Feb. 20, the Wildcats have clinched their position in this year's post season and currently sit with 67 points in third seed in the conference, with a dangerous Rimouski team close by in fourth with 64 points on the season. This past week, the Oceanic leapfrogged the Eagles into fourth seed, leaving the Eagles in fifth with 61 points and two less games played. On their tale, the Chicoutimi Saguenéens sit just two points back in sixth position with 59 points.
All of the 14 games remaining on the Eagles schedule are matchups with eastern conference teams, including four with Charlottetown, four with Bathurst, three against Moncton, two against Saint John and one against Halifax. On a positive note, ten of those 14 games are against clubs currently lower in the standings than the Eagles.
If the playoffs were to begin today, the Eagles would be set for a seven game series with the Rimouski Oceanic with Rimouski owning home-ice advantage with the fourth seed.
Record Setting Sequence
The Eagles continued their franchise record-setting ways this week, etching their names into the record books yet again on Wednesday night.
During the second period of the Eagles matchup with the Moncton Wildcat's at Centre 200 on Feb. 14, Lucas Romeo, Brayden Schmitt and Luke Patterson's three consecutive goals set the brand new franchise record for shortest time between three goals in one game at just 32 seconds.
The previous record stood since October 7, 1998 when Yannick Carpentier and Ryan Walsh netted three in just 39 seconds.
The overall league record of just 12 seconds stands from both Quebec in 1970-1971 and Val-d'Or in 1997.
The achievement is the third franchise record broken by the club so far this season, with the other two coming between the pipes after goaltender Nicolas Ruccia set his second franchise record in as many weeks when he broke the long lasting record of time spent without allowing a goal in the regular season. Beginning January 6th, Ruccia played 173.17 consecutive minutes without allowing a single goal against. Earlier that month, Ruccia and Jakub Milota together set the franchise record for combined shutouts in a single season with seven (7). Ruccia's latest goose egg now leaves the record at a combined eight (8) shutouts.
Lavoie to join fellow prospects in Montreal trip
This week, Cape Breton Eagles 17-year-old defenceman Tomas Lavoie will travel to Montreal, QC with fellow QMJHL top prospects Maxim Massé, (Chicoutimi Saguenéens), Raoul Boilard, (Baie-Comeau Drakkar), Alexis Bernier, (Baie-Comeau Drakkar) and Spencer Gill, (Rimouski Océanic) to visit the Bell Centre and take in a Montreal Canadians game as part of a league top prospects special trip.
After the Montreal Canadians morning skate on Wednesday, the top prospects will be made available for local media to ask them questions ahead of the upcoming 2024 NHL Entry Draft in Las Vegas, NV.
In January, Lavoie was one of 40 players to take part in the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Moncton, N.B.
Lavoie is a former first overall QMJHL draft pick to the Eagles in 2022 and was the 50th ranked North American skater in the latest NHL Central Scouting list this winter.
Lavoie will be back in Cape Breton in time for his club's matchup with the Charlottetown Islanders on Thursday.
Three in four at home
In their second last regular season weekend at the Nest, the Eagles will welcome the the Charlottetown Islanders at 7pm on Thursday when adult tickets are just $13. Then this weekend, the Acadie Bathurst Titan come into town for a double header weekend at the Nest
Saturday, tickets are only $7 for students when the two teams do battle at 7PM on Coast Guard takeover night.
Then on Family Sunday, child tickets are just $5 with the purchase of an adult ticket when the clubs meet at 3PM for First Responders appreciation night at the Nest.
The playoffs are quickly approaching, so get your tickets now and cheer on the birds as they race towards the finish line!
Tickets for this week's games are available now!
https://www.ticketmaster.ca/cape-breton-eagles-tickets/artist/891825
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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from February 20, 2024
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- Eagles Set for Big Week at Home as Playoffs Approach - Eagles Recap 02/21/2024 - Cape Breton Eagles
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