Eagles Dump Mooseheads 4-1 In 20th Anniversary Game

SYDNEY- On a night where the Screaming Eagles turned back the clock and celebrated their 20th season, they did so by doing what they love the most- beating the Halifax Mooseheads. In an old style game featuring lots of physical play and special teams, Cape Breton shut down their provincial rivals in the final forty minutes to lock down a 4-1 victory.

Spurred on by the crowd of over 4600 in an event billed as a special 20th anniversary game, the Eagles came out firing, outshooting the Mooseheads 7-0 in the opening five minutes. Halifax weathered the early storm though, and then turned the tide of the game shortly after a penalty against Declan Smith. The Mooseheads appeared to have the game’s first goal before the whistle even blew to prompt the power play, but the play was blown dead. Halifax wouldn’t score on the man advantage but would perhaps build momentum- that they would use on their own penalty kill.

With Walter Flower in the box the visitors would draw multiple short handed opportunites, and after the puck had been stuffed past Kyle Jessiman but not yet over the goal line, Nico Hischier would tap it through to make it 1-0 Halifax. Cape Breton would have more power play opportunities in the period- including a brief five on three after Arnaud Durandeau was given the not too common faceoff violation penalty- but the Eagles couldn’t score on any power play in the opening frame and trailed after the first siren.

As it turned out Cape Breton would channel some of the short handed magic that Halifax had used in the opening period, as Peyton Hoyt would skate near the length of the ice, deking around all opposition for a highlight shorthanded marker. There would be plenty more short handed and power play opportunities for both teams alike- Halifax would get their own 5 on 3 that would last more than a minute- but the only other goal in the middle stanza would come even strength. The Eagles’ Massimo Carozza had dropped back to the point, and wired the puck through a screen past Alexis Gravel. Cape Breton led 2-1 going to period three.

In a game that featured an eye popping 17 power plays, the closest thing to a power play marker would come at the seven minute mark of the third period when Cape Breton took a 3-1 lead. Carozza would draw a hooking call- and with the stick still under his arm, used his own stick to feed Adam McComrick at the top of the circle. McCormick moved it to the other circle to Leon Gawanke who blasted it over the shoulder of Gravel. While the goal was scored with the referee’s arm was up, it was an even strength goal (4 on 4) in the truest sense the word- Jessiman had not yet made it to the bench for the extra attacker.

It was not the last time in the evening the game would see a peculiar instance regarding a goaltender leaving the net and a goal being scored. With just over two minutes to play, André Tourigny would elect to lift Gravel for an extra attacker. As Cape Breton cleared the zone, Fournier would fire the puck off a Moosehead skater just after Gravel left the net. From where Fournier shot the puck, he would have been guilty of icing had the puck not hit the goal… however the puck centred after the re-direction. Gravel attempted to get back to his net in time, but could not. It would be officially recorded as a 5 on 5 goal, going against the Moosehead goaltender’s numbers, and it sealed the deal in a 4-1 Cape Breton victory.

Jessiman picked up the win, stopping 24 of 25 shots. Gravel was pinned with the loss, allowing four goals on 27 shots.

The Eagles will now head on the road for a one game trip, visiting the Saint John Sea Dogs on Sunday afternoon. Puck drop will be at 3:00 PM Atlantic time, and you can hear all the action on 1270 AM CJCB or online at http://www.cjcbradio.com.

Three stars:
1. Peyton Hoyt (Cape Breton) 1 goal, +2
2. Leon Gawnake (Cape Breton) 1 goal, +2
3. Giovanni Fiore (Cape Breton) 1 assist, 7 shots

Scratches For Cape Breton: Marcus Tesink, Olivier Bourret

Scratches For Halifax: Caleb Rich, Barrett Dachyshyn, Blade Mann-Dixon (injury), Ben Higgins

Final Shots On Goal: 27-25 in favour of Cape Breton

Cape Breton Power Play: 0/7

Halifax Power Play: 0/10