Eagles Continue Winning Streak With Victory Over Charlottetown
CHARLOTTETOWN- The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles continued their winning ways in the first of a two game set against the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday night. Giovanni Fiore scored the opening goal- and the final goal- in the Eagles 4-2 victory.
Both teams exchanged their share of chances before Fiore wired the puck into the top corner over Isles netminder Mark Grametbauer at the 12:31 mark of the opening frame. But in spite of scoring first and outshooting Charlottetown 17-10, Cape Breton would trail at period’s end. Recently acquired blueliner Nicolas Meloche would knot the game at one and then a Kameron Keilly blast low blocker side would give the home team the lead.
Cape Breton would again outshoot Charlottetown in the middle stanza, 14-11, but it appeared as though they would leave the period trailing as both Grametbauer and Cape Breton’s Kyle Jessiman shined. However a power play towards the end of the frame would lead to a tying goal as Drake Batherson, working the point as a forward, blasted it through traffic to make it a 2-2 contest at 18:40.
Again in the third period the goalies were the show and through the first fifteen minutes there was no further scoring. It would be a nifty individual effort that would break the game open, as Phélix Martineau surged up the right wing and around another new Islander, Carl Neill, and shot through the fivehole to give the Eagles a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Islanders coach Jim Hulton would elect to pull his netminder in favour of an extra attacker in the late stages but with six players on the ice he could not find the open net. In the dying seconds Yannik Bertrand found himself with a clear shot at the open goal but elected to pass to Fiore who would ting the twine for an insurance goal and his league leading 30th goal of the season.
Jessiman picked up the win, making 34 stops. Grametbauer turned aside 38 of 41 shots prior to the empty netter.
The Screaming Eagles played the game with 17 skaters as two players who had just been acquired via trade were not able to arrive in Charlottetown in time for the game. 16 year old forward Mathias Laferrière was acquired, along with a first and a second round draft pick, from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade. 19 year old blueliner Ross MacDougall was picked up from the Quebec Remparts in an exchange for a 2nd and 3rd round pick.
Both players will join the Screaming Eagles for the second half of the season. In addition to acquiring the new players, Cape Breton also sent defenseman Maxim Baillargeon to Moncton in exchange for a 7th round draft pick.
The Eagles and Islanders will renew hostilities on Saturday afternoon with a 2 PM contest on Saturday afternoon. Heading into the game, the Eagles trail the Islanders by two points for fifth in the league standings and second place in the Maritime Division. You can hear all the action on 1270 AM CJCB or online at http://www.cjcbradio.com
Three stars:
1. Mark Grametbauer (Charlottetown) 38 saves on 41 shots
2. Kyle Jessiman (Cape Breton) 34 saves on 36 shots
3. Phélix Martineau (Cape Breton) Game winning goal, 3 shots
Scratches For Cape Breton: Tyler Hylland (upper body injury), Ross MacDougall (transportation), Mathias Laferrière (transportation)
Scratches For Charlottetown: Tyler McArthur, Hunter Drew, Matthew Grouchy (illness), Johnny Foley (injury), Ian McKinnon, Chris Chaddock (injury)
Final Shots On Goal: 42-36 in favour of Cape Breton
Cape Breton Power Play:1/5
Charlottetown Power Play: 0/1
