Screaming Eagles Come Back to Top Drakkar in Overtime
Published on November 22, 2018 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Cape Breton Eagles News Release
SYDNEY- The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles were victorious in their return home from a four game road trip, rallying to top the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 5-4 in overtime at Centre 200.
While the Eagles came out of the gate with some jump, it was the Drakkar who would take the lead with a pair of goals prior to the eight minute mark just 17 seconds apart. Gabriel Fortier scored just 15 seconds into the game's opening power play to give Baie-Comeau the first lead of the game, and then Brendan St-Louis ripped a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle to make it a 2-0 game.
The home side would get on the board before period's end, thanks to some teamwork between Alex Drover and Egor Sokolov. Drover cut in from the right side of the boards, drove to the front of the net and dished it off to Sokolov on the right side and he put the puck by Justin Blanchette to make it a 2-1 game. However, before period's end, the Drakkar would restore the two goal cushion with a short handed marker. Gabriel Fortier stripped Leon Gawanke of the puck behind the net and flipped it to Ivan Chekhovich in front, and Baie-Comeau led 3-1 at period's end.
Balmas would tie the game in the second stanza though. His first goal would come from the front of the goal, after a backhand pass from Shaun Miller behind the net. The tying goal would come just two seconds into a power play, as the Eagles forward was left alone at the opposite faceoff circle and ripped a one timer past Blanchette. Gawanke earned the first of his two assists on the night on the goal, extending his point streak to 12 games. Following the goal Baie-Comeau coach Martin Bernard would call a timeout to settle his team down.
It may have worked as Baie-Comeau would once again leave the period with the lead, and it was another power play goal that would come very early into the man advantage. Just ten seconds in the power play Nathan Légaré would power a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle and it was 4-3 at the end of the second period. The goal would spell the end of the night for Kevin Mandolese, and William Grimard came in in relief in net the Eagles.
The Drakkar were not able to extend their lead any further, despite having two different plays reviewed less than a minute apart. Both would be called no goal.
Things would tighten up in the third period, with the two sides combining for just 13 shots. One of the nine shots for the Eagles was enough to the tie the game as Gabriel Proulx beat Blanchette from the top of the left circle.
Overtime would need just one shot to determine a winner as the Eagles would win on a set play. After receiving the puck from Leon Gawanke, Declan Smith would come up the right wing, pass the puck across to Mitchell Balmas who completed his hat trick just 21 seconds into the extra session. It was a hat trick of another kind for Balmas as he has scored the game winner in all three Eagles victories thus far this season.
Grimard picked up the win, stopping all seven shots in relief. Mandolese allowed four goals on 18 shots prior to Grimard's coming into the game. Blanchette stopped 29 of 33 shots in the loss.
The Screaming Eagles will now head out to Charlottetown for a one game road trip on Saturday night at 7 PM. You can catch all the action beginning with the pre-game show with Patrick McNeil at 6:30 on 1270 AM CJCB or online at www.cjcbradio.com.
THREE STARS OF THE GAME 1. Mitchell Balmas (Cape Breton) 3 goals, 6 shots 2. Egor Sokolov (Cape Breton) 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 shots 3. Yaroslav Alexeyev (Baie-Comeau) 3 assists
Scratches For Cape Breton: Liam Kidney, Ian Smallwood
Scratches For Baie-Comeau: Jordan Martel (suspension), Antoine Girard, Hugo Savinksy
Final Shots On Goal: 33-25 in favour of Cape Breton
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 22, 2018
- Screaming Eagles Come Back to Top Drakkar in Overtime - Cape Breton Eagles
- All-Star Team 90-99 Named - QMJHL
- Hockey Day on PEI to Include Women's Panthers and New Format - Charlottetown Islanders
- Sea Dogs Acquire 20-Year Old Goaltender Mikhail Denisov - Saint John Sea Dogs
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