Eagles Romp In Bathurst, Push Win Streak To Four
BATHURST- After 20 minutes, the Screaming Eagles held a small lead in a tight battle with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. By the end of 40 minutes, the floodgates had opened and the Eagles were off and running en route to a convincing 7-1 victory and a four game winning streak.
In an opening period that saw both teams record 11 shots but Cape Breton garner most of the dangerous chances, Maxim Lazarev was the only player to find the back of the net. He joined the play as the trailer and ripped a quick shot by Bathurst netminder Alex Kelly to give the visitors a 1-0 lead at the 7:12 mark.
Kelly would be more frequently tested in the middle frame and he was up to the challenge until Michael Joly dangled around former Eagle Jason Bell and put a backhand past the rookie Bathurst netminder. That began a five goal second period onslaught. Lazarev connected for his second of the night and 30th of the season before the midway mark of the game.
Loïk Léveillé would expand the lead to 4-0 with a blast from the left point that went above Kelly and under the crossbar. Then, before the period was out, Eagles captain Clark Bishop would score twice. His second goal would come with just ten seconds left in the period.
There was also a fight in the second period as Cape Breton’s Ty Fournier tussled with Bathurst’s Dawson Thede. Both players were given an additional ten minute misconduct as a result of a tie down violation.
Reilly Pickard, the regular Bathurst starting goalie who was expected to make a return to game action on Saturday night, was prompted into the fray early as he began the third period of Friday night’s contest. He was given a rough initiation into the game as just 28 seconds into the final frame Pierre-Luc Dubois would take a feed from Michael Joly to put the Eagles up by a touchdown.
Dubois would again register on the scoresheet under two minutes later as he picked up an instigator penalty, dropping the gloves with Nicolas Dumulong. There were not many punches through but Dumulong was certainly fired up later in the period when he picked up an instigator of his own, trying to drop the gloves with Bishop. Dumulong was given a game misconduct due to it being his second fight of the game, and he was also assessed a penalty for abuse of officials. With Dubois having assisted on the opening goal by Lazarev and Bishop assisting on Léveillé’s goal, both players recorded Gordie Howe hat tricks.
Unfortunately for Cape Breton netminder Alexandrer Bélanger, he would not record the shutout. Dawson Theede would tap the puck in from the right side of the goal with under four minutes to play in the third period, breaking the goose egg and finalising the scoring for the evening.
Bélanger stopped 29 of 30 shots for the victory. Kelly allowed six goals on 27 shots in two periods of play. Pickard stopped 17 of 18 shots against in the third period.
Screaming Eagles forwards Dillon Boucher and Colin MacSween both missed the contest with upper body injuries but could return for the rematch between the two teams on Saturday.
The Eagles and the Titan will lock horns again on Saturday night. Puck drop for Friday night’s game is 7 PM. You can hear all the action on 1270 AM CJCB or online at https://www.cjcbradio.com
Three stars:
1. Maxim Lazarev (Cape Breton) 2G, +2, 6 shots
2. Clark Bishop (Cape Breton) 2G, 1A, 5 shots
3. Loïk Léveillé (Cape Breton) 1G, 1A, +2
Scratches For Cape Breton: Yannik Bertrand (foot injury), Dillon Boucher (upper body), Colin MacSween (upper body), Lee Dower
Scratches For Bathurst: Emanuel Aucoin, Marc Audet (injury), Elijah Francis (injury), Guillaume Brisebois (injury), Daniil Miromanov (injury)
Final Shots On Goal: 45-30 in favour of Cape Breton
Cape Breton Power Play: 1/8
Bathurst Power Play: 0/6
