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QMJHL Cape Breton Eagles

Eagles Top Mooseheads in Hurley Cup Opener

December 30, 2016 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Cape Breton Eagles News Release


SYDNEY- Tyler Hylland scored its first ever goal, and the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles topped the Halifax Mooseheads in the first game in the inaugural Hurley Cup. The home side used a strong start to post a 6-3 victory in the holiday series.

Hylland converted on a goal mouth scramble, at the 5:21 mark, jamming the puck past Alexis Gravel to open the scoring. There was confusion on the play originally as the goal horn did not go off and the red light did not appear to either, but after review the historic marker counted. Halifax would have ample opportunity to the game with a stretch of three straight power plays, including a brief 5 on 3, but the Mooseheads couldn't solve Kyle Jessiman.

Instead it would be Cape Breton that would find a power play marker. Vasily Glotov, making his return to the Eagles lineup after missing Wednesday's game due to a missed flight connection, froze Gravel with a shot over the glove just 19 seconds into the Eagles power play. It would be 2-0 at the first break.

Halifax's Maxime Fortier took a penalty just prior to period's end and the home side wasted little time making another power play goal count as Giovanni Fiore wired it on the glove side of Gravel 27 seconds into period two. Then, before the period was three minutes old, Fiore would convert again- this time blocker side while even strength- electing to keep on a 2 on 1. The goal would spell the end of the night for Gravel, to be replaced by recently acquired netminder Blade Mann-Dixon.

There would be some pushback from Halifax, and then some fireworks as well. The visitors got on the board when Fortier appeared from nowhere to block an Olivier LeBlanc clearing attempt, and then rip a wrister past Jessiman. LeBlanc was involved in the action later in the second stanza when he dropped the gloves in a spirited encounter with Halifax's Joel Bishop.

Cape Breton's four goal cushion would be restored early in the third period on a give and go between two of the team's Nova Scotian players. Declan Smith whipped a backhand pass out to the front of the goal to Dillon Boucher, who created an opening and beat Mann-Dixon to make it a 5-1 game.

Special teams would then become the story of the game. With Drake Batherson in the box for hooking, another Nova Scotian, Halifax's Brad Kennedy, would cash in on a broken play on Jessiman's door step to cut the margin to three. The Mooseheads would be given a longer power play when the natural rivalry between the teams would heat up.

Peyton Hoyt of the Screaming Eagles would be given a five minute major penalty for checking from behind, with Raphael Lavoie being the hurt player (he would be attended to and helped off the ice, but later returned to action.) Hoyt was instantly challenged by Jordan Lepage of the Mooseheads and the two went toe to toe. Hoyt was given a major penalty, but the first two minutes were negated due to Lepage being given an instigator penalty on the same sequence.

Given essentially a three minute major power play, Halifax had their chances and with one second left would score when Anthony Sorrentino, who was running a screen, tapped it by Jessiman to make it a 5-3 game. The goal came at 12:25 of the third period and there was ample time for the Mooseheads to orchestrate a rally.

Despite his team producing chances, Halifax coach André Tourigny elected to pull his goaltender early, with over three minutes remaining. Mann-Dixon had barely reached the bench before Batherson hit the open cage to provide Cape Breton with a key insurance goal. There would be no further scoring.

Jessiman picked up the win, stopping 26 of 29 shots. Gravel was given the loss, allowing four goals on twelve shots. Mann-Dixon stopped 17 of 18 shots coming on in relief, in addition to the empty net goal.

Game two of the Hurley Cup goes Sunday afternoon in Halifax, with a start time of 2 PM. The Hurley Cup is a two game total goal series, with the first tiebreaker being goals scored on the road. The Eagles lead the series six goals to three heading into Sunday's game. You can hear all the action on 1270 AM CJCB or online at http://www.cjcbradio.com

Three stars: 1. Giovanni Fiore (Cape Breton) 2 goals, 1 assist, +3, 5 shots 2. Kyle Jessiman (Cape Breton) 26 saves on 29 shots 3. Tobie Bisson (Cape Breton) 3 shots, 1 hit

Scratches For Cape Breton: Sacha Roy, Olivier Bourret, Pierre-Luc Dubois (World Juniors)

Scratches For Halifax: Caleb Rich, Nico Hischier (World Juniors), Barrett Dachyshyn (injury), Walter Flower (injury), Connor Moynihan (upper body injury)

Final Shots On Goal: 34-29 in favour of Cape Breton

Cape Breton Power Play: 2/4

Halifax Power Play: 2/6

Check out the Cape Breton Eagles Statistics



Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2016


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