Eagles Push Win Three Streak To Three Games With Shootout Win In Baie-Comeau
NOTES FROM THE GAME
– Sam Rocca’s late goal in the third period forced extra time and Romain Litalien was the only player to score in the shootout as the Cape Breton Eagles defeated the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 4-3. With the result, the Eagles are now on a three game winning streak, while Baie-Comeau remains the lone winless team in the CHL.
– Maxime Sauthier & Lucas Romeo also scored for the Eagles while Jack Brauti added two assists.
– Connor Towle stopped 24 of 27 shots in the win, Lucas Beckman turned aside 40 of 43 shots in the loss.
– Prior to the game, Baie-Comeau traded forward Louis-Charles Plourde to Val-d’Or in exchange for a second & third round draft pick.
Kyle Powers opened the scoring on a one timer on the game’s first power play, putting a shot in from the right faceoff circle to beat an outstretched Towle. The rest of the opening period didn’t feature much special teams time- nor many whistles, as there was a stretch of 5:55 without any stoppages.
Baie-Comeau added to their lead in the final two minutes, when a shot from the blueline from Drew Allison netted him his first QMJHL goal. A penalty taken by Samuel Brunet in the final minute of the period put the Eagles on their first power play.
The Eagles were unable to score on that power play, but found a pair of goals to tie the game in a second period that featured plenty of penalties, albeit mostly coincidental.
Sauthier started the comeback, just before the seven minute mark, and just before the parade to the penalty box. With the score now 2-1, the teams playing four on four and each team with four men in the box, Romeo stuffed the puck in on a goal mouth scrum to tie the game. The Eagles outshot the Drakkar 18-7 and left the second stanza even at 2.
A point shot from Alexis Mathieu put the Drakkar in front at the 3:53 mark. The third period was the only period where Baie-Comeau outshot the Eagles, by a total of 10-8. But they couldn’t stop the Eagles from tying the game a second time- Rocca cashing in from the front of the net on a feed from Lewis Gendron to knot the score at 3.
The Eagles heavily outshot Baie-Comeau in overtime, 7-2, in part due to a penalty Gleb Semenov but the Eagles couldn’t find the winning goal in the fourth period. There were no goals in the opening round of the shootout either, with Cape Breton’s Reece Peitzsche missing and Baie-Comeau’s William Labranche being denied. Litalien put it by Beckman to put the Eagles in front, and the lead held when Towle denied Liam Armit.
Adam Kalus had a chance to win it for the Eagles, but couldn’t solve Beckman. Justin Gendron had a chance to extend the game but was turned aside by Towle as the Eagles swept the two game set with the Drakkar.
The Eagles will finish the Quebec road trip on Sunday afternoon as they visit the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Puck drop is 5 PM AST. The game is available for purchase on https://www.flohockey.tv/live/166733 and you can also hear all the action on 1270 AM CJCB or online at www.cjcbradio.com
THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. Lucas Beckman (Baie-Comeau) 40 saves on 43 shots
2. Alexis Mathieu (Baie-Comeau) 1 goal, 5 hits
3. Lewis Gendron (Cape Breton) 1 assist, 5 shots, 14/23 on faceoffs
Scratches For Cape Breton: Will Murphy (injury), Blake Burke (injury), Rory Pilling, Logan Quinn, Sam Berthiaume
Scratches For Baie-Comeau: Alexis Michaud (injury), Maxime Lapointe (suspension), Theirry Demers, Ryan Dwyer, Tobias Almstedt
Final Shots On Goal: 43-27 in favour of Cape Breton
Cape Breton Power Play: 0/6
Baie-Comeau Power Play: 1/3
