Eagles Open Home Stand With Win Over Olympiques
NOTES FROM THE GAME
– Jacob Newcombe’s empty net goal completed a hat trick and four point night for the Cape Breton captain as the Eagles topped the Gatineau Olympiques 5-3 Thursday night. It was a back and forth game that saw both teams hold multiple leads.
– Cam Squires notched three points for the Eagles, scoring in addition to two assists. Tomas Lavoie recorded three assists, and Angelo Fullerton scored the winning goal.
– Alexis Cournoyer picked up the win, stopping 30 of 33 Gatineau shots. Nathan St-Pierre stopped 26 of 30 in the loss in addition to the empty net goal.
– The Eagles’ win was the 300th for Cape Breton coach Louis Robitaille, coming against a Gatineau team he coached from 2020-2021 to 2022-23.
It was a slow start to the game, with the two teams combining for just one shot in the opening four minutes. Things opened up as the period went along, and while the Eagles couldn’t score on the period’s lone power play, they did get on the board late when Squires snuck it under the arm of St-Pierre.
With six minutes to go in the middle stanza, it looked like the Eagles would hold a 1-0 lead for a second straight intermission. But a 73 second sequence would change the complexion of the game.
First, Gatineau defenseman Taos Jordan blasted a point shot by Cournoyer to tie the game, flapping his arms like an eagle in celebration following the goal. 27 seconds later, Gatineau took their first lead when Julien Paillé cashed in on his own rebound on a wrap around attempt. However, the Eagles had an answer, as a Newcombe shot in the right faceoff circle deflected by St-Pierre to tie the game heading into the third period.
Gatineau pulled ahead again in the third period, as the rebound from Jérémie Minville shot hung high in the air, and Isiah Parent was there to cash in with a go ahead goal. Once more, though, the Eagles answered in less than a minute, and it was Newcombe getting a shot that bounced off of St-Pierre’s trapper and over the goal line.
There was less than seven minutes remaining when the Eagles found an unconventional winning goal. Fullerton, standing in the corner of the rink, managed to bank the puck by St-Pierre to give the Eagles a 4-3 edge.
The Olympiques lifted St-Pierre with 2:10 to play, and came to close tying to the game as a shot rung off the post. But it was the home side that would come away with the win, with Newcombe’s clinching goal coming with 17 seconds to play. Newcombe looked to Jordan and flapped his arms, noting his action from earlier in the evening.
The Eagles are next in action on Sunday afternoon! It’s Reconcillation At the Rink as the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, featuring Anaheim draft pick Maxim Massé and former Eagles Thomas Desruisseaux & Émile Ricard, make their only visit of the season of the season to Centre 200. The Sags are the only team in the league the Eagles have yet to play.
Puck drop is at 3 PM. Tickets can be purchased at https://shorturl.at/WE3Ii They are also available for purchase in person at the Centre 200 box office and by the phone during box office hours at 902-564-2200
THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Jacob Newcombe (Cape Breton) 3 goals, 1 assist, +4
2. Cam Squires (Cape Breton) 1 goal, 2 assists, +3
3. Tomas Lavoie (Cape Breton) 3 assists, +1, 5 hits
Scratches For Cape Breton: Cole Burbidge (injury), Jakub Milota (injury) Ales Zielinski (injury), Logan Quinn
Scratches For Gatineau: Charles Desmet (injury), Simon-Xavier Cyr (injury), Jacob De Ladurantaye, Lyam Jacques
Final Shots On Goal: 33-31 in favour of Gatineau
Cape Breton Power Play: 0/2
Gatineau Power Play: 0/1