Eagles End Home Weekend By Topping Phoenix
NOTES FROM THE GAME
– A three goal second period paced the Cape Breton Eagles to a 4-1 victory over the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Saturday night in Sydney. Lewis Gendron helped lead the attack with a goal and two assists.
– Four other Eagles produced multi-point nights as Adam Klaus & Lucas Romeo each scored while adding an assist, and Tomas Lavoie & Romain Litalien each notched two assists.
– The Eagles trailed after the first period but the comeback began with a Reece Peitzsche goal. It was the first time in the 2025-26 season Sherbrooke lost a game after scoring first, and the first time they lost a game when leading after the first period.
– Connor Towle picked up the win, stopping 21 of 22 shots. Justin Brisebois took the loss, allowing four goals on 25 shots.
– Sparks flew in the rematch from Friday night resulting in multiple scrums. In total, 11 players received ten minute misconducts in the third period- Cape Breton’s Will Murphy, Samuel Kupec, Jacob Hartlin, Caden Kelly, Aiden McCullough, Romeo, and Peitzsche along with Sherbrooke’s Olivier Dubois, Thomas Rousseau, Éloi Bourdeau, and Olivier Boutin.
All but the last two minutes of the first period were played five on five, with the visitors getting the only breakthrough as Martins
Klaucans deked through Towle on a breakaway. Romeo drew a late penalty on Sherbrooke’s Cameron Haye, but took his own high sticking minor so the period finished four on four.
Sherbrooke was unable to convert on their abbreviated power play to start the second period, and it allowed the Eagles to come back. Strong work along the end boards by Litalien got the puck to Gendron who found Peitzsche in front of the net for the game tying goal. Before the halfway mark of the period, Klaus battled through multiple Phoenix defenders to push the puck to Romeo, who came off the bench to wire the game winning goal over Brisebois.
In the dying seconds of the period, with the Eagles producing sustained pressure, Klaus produced a nifty deke to lift the puck over Brisebois and give the Eagles a two goal edge. With under four minutes to go in the third period, Gendron ripped a shot from the faceoff circles over the Sherbrooke netminder to further expand the lead.
Sherbrooke coach Giles Bouchard elected to lift Brisebois for an extra attacker, but the Phoenix couldn’t get any closer- in fact, Kelly was almost certain to hit the empty net before he was taken down by Rousseau, setting off a scrum that would see multiple misconducts issued. (There would be another in the final minute of play.)
The Eagles are next in action on Saturday night in Saint John against the Sea Dogs. Puck drop is at 7 PM. The game is available for purchase on https://www.flohockey.tv/live/166852 and you can also hear all the action on 1270 AM CJCB or online at www.cjcbradio.com
THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Adam Klaus (Cape Breton) 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots
2. Lucas Romeo (Cape Breton) 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 shots
3. Lewis Gendron (Cape Breton) 1 goal, 2 assists
Scratches For Cape Breton: Eliot Litalien (injury), Samuel Boyer (injury), Derek Andrews, Jack Brauti, Braeden Van Gelder
Scratches For Sherbrooke: Chad Bellemarre (injury), Olivier Lampron (injury), Félix Ouellet (injury), Reinis Auzins
Final Shots On Goal: 25-22 in favour of Cape Breton
Cape Breton Power Play: 0/3
Sherbrooke Power Play: 0/3
