Shawinigan offence explodes in second period to take game 3
Written by: Dylan Konecny
Returning home to the Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet the Phœnix were locked in a tie with the Cataractes from Shawinigan in the first round series, with both teams owning one victory each after their first two matches. Sherbrooke stormed out to an early lead with the first pair of goals for the third straight game. However, the Cataractes proved why they’re such a formidable foe and deserving of their #2 seed in the playoffs after game three.
Evan Fitzpatrick was forced to make some big saves early into the game as the Cataractes controlled pace for the initial part of the first period. Sprawling across the ice to save a back door shot from Alexis D’Aoust on a Cataractes power play the second year goalie made sure his team didn’t give up the first goal in front of the home fans. The momentum for Sherbrooke really picked up following the penalty kill when Hugo Roy stood up a big hit attempt from Samuel Blier coming out of the zone. Later during the play Sherbrooke got their first power play chance after Gabriel Sylvestre took a cross checking penalty battling with Chad Pietroniro in the corner. While killing the initial penalty Jonathan Deschamps tripped Daniel Audette moving through the slot giving Sherbrooke a two-man advantage for a minute and fifteen seconds. The Phœnix only needed 19 seconds with the two-man advantage though as Carl Neill made the game 1-0 unleashing a booming slap shot past Phillipe Cadorette. Not satisfied with the one power play goal Sherbrooke struck again with their special team’s unit moments later to make it 2-0 with their second power play goal at 14:41. Kay Schweri after scooping the puck up behind the net fed the puck to Nicolas Poulin who was left alone in the crease to put the puck in the net past a helpless Cadorette.
Despite the Phœnix increasing their lead early on in the second frame to make it 3-0 after Guillaume Gauthier scored with a hard shot from between the hash marks in the slot at 3:58. Shawinigan battled back quickly erasing the three goal lead in a matter of minutes, first scoring two goals that came twelve seconds apart at 6:28 and 6:38 from Dennis Yan and Gabriel Gagné. Cavan Fitzgerald then tied the game with a shot from the point at 8:55. Shawinigan’s offence continued to roll scoring their fourth unanswered goal of the period on the power play at 11:24 coming from Anthony Beauvillier. Alex Pawelczyk then scored shorthanded off the faceoff to put the Phœnix down another goal at 15:14 making it 5-3. Before the period was over the Cataractes would add their sixth goal of the period when Anthony Beauvillier scored on the power play with a wrap around at 17:21 putting the Cataractes up by three goals.
The third period didn’t fare much better for Sherbrooke. Shawinigan scored just over a minute in to increase their lead to four goals at 1:11 when Danny Moynihan scored. Shawinigan added another goal at 7:48 from Fitzgerald to take the game by a final score of 8-3 outshooting the Phœnix 49-25.
Sherbrooke will look to put game three behind them and get back on track Wednesday night in game four with puck drop scheduled for 7 pm. Penalties have been a difference maker in the series so far as the Phœnix have been deadly with the man advantage scoring on 6/13 chances so far. While the Cataractes have only scored twice so far in the series when on the power play.
3 Stars:
1- Anthony Beauvillier (SHA)
2- Gabriel Gagné (SHA)
3- Danny Moynihan (SHA)
