Regiment To Top Eagles To Take First Series Lead
NOTES FROM THE GAME
– A third period goal from Marek Danicek, his second point of the night, helped secure a 4-2 victory for the Newfoundland Regiment on Tuesday night at Centre 200. With the win, the Regiment take a 2-1 lead in the best of seven first round playoff series.
– Maxime Sauthier & Derek Andrews scored for the Eagles.
– Louis-Antoine Denault stopped 33 of 35 shots in the win, while Félix Hamel stopped 21 of 25 shots in the loss.
– Newfoundland recalled first round draft pick Phenwick MacLean prior to the game. He took warm up but was the last scratch. Dawson Sharkey was also scratched from the Newfoundland lineup, serving the first of a two game suspension for a blindside hit on Eliot Litalien in game two.
The Eagles got the start they were looking for, as the newly formed line of Lucas Romeo with the Europeans Sauthier & Adam Klaus converted early. A Brady Flynn shot created a rebound for Sauthier, who opened the scoring just 25 seconds into the game.
Neither team could convert on the power play in the first period- neither the Regiment on back to back man advantages nor the Eagles on their first special teams opportunity. Newfoundland did strike at even strength with 15 seconds remaining in the period. Justin Larose cut to slot, passed to the side and Alexis Michaud snapped the tying goal on a one timer.
A fortunate bounce helped give the Regiment the lead they wouldn’t relinquish at 8:27 of the second period. Hamel came out of the net to to play the puck after a Will Reynolds dump in, but lost his footing as the puck bounced off of a linesman. Benjamin Veitch was there to capitalize and found the empty net to make it a 2-1 game. Later in the period, another bounce went the Regiment’s way when Hamel stretched across to make a save on Danicek, but the puck bounced in the opposite direction and Tyson Goguen was there to get the rebound.
The Eagles pushed back before period’s end. Olivier Laverdière, playing in his first game of the series, won the puck on the right side of the ice and fed it to Andrews streaking through the middle. Denault came up with a big save, but Andrews collected the rebound to put the home team within one.
The one goal game held until the final four minutes of the third period, when Danicek snapped a shot from between the circles by Hamel to put the Regiment up by a pair. The Eagles didn’t waste a lot of time getting an extra attacker out- Hamel was taken out with 3:03 to play. He remained on the bench for the rest of the game, but the Eagles could get no closer and Newfoundland skated to a 4-2 win.
The Eagles will look to tie up the series tomorrow night when they take on the Regiment at Centre 200. It’s also Irish night at the Nest- after a delay, the special green jerseys have arrived and will be worn in game 4! Raffle tickets on the jersey will be sold in support of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation.
Puck drop is at 7 PM. Tickets can be purchased at https://shorturl.at/HkL67 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. Louis-Antoine Denault (Newfoundland) 33 saves of 35 shots
2. Maxime Sauthier (Cape Breton) 1 goal, 6 shots
3 Marek Danicek (Newfoundland) 1 goal, 1 assist
Scratches For Cape Breton: Will Murphy (injury), Romain Litalien (injury), Eliot Litalien (injury), Nicholas Holomego,
Scratches For Newfoundland: Kinglsey Austin (injury), Dawson Sharkey (suspension), Patryk Zubek
Final Shots On Goal: 35-25 in favour of Cape Breton
Cape Breton Power Play: 0/4
Newfoundland Power Play: 0/2
