Chaleur Lightning edge Grand Falls 4-3 for Game 1 victory
The Grand Falls Rapids were riding a ten-game win streak entering the Metalfab MHL Cup Playoffs and hosting their first-ever playoff game at the E. & P. Sénéchal Centre on Friday night. However, the Chaleur Lightning spoiled the party with a 4-3 win in Game 1 of their Eastlink North Division Semi-Final.
The home side got on the board early as Coen Miller scored on the powerplay just 2:05 into the 1st period. Sam Rocca evened the game on the powerplay at 4:46 to tie things up after the 1st period. The teams traded a goal each in the 2nd period as Jonah Leard again gave the Rapids a 2-1 lead at 5:59, but Jack Hayne responded at 19:07 on the powerplay for Chaleur.
Leard notched his second goal of the night at 9:43 of the 3rd for Grand Falls’ second powerplay goal of the game. Thomas Hendrickson evened the score at 3-3 with a goal at 13:01, and then Hayne scored his second powerplay goal of the game at 15:57 to give Chaleur the victory.
Jack Flanagan made 22 saves for the win, while Adam Lecours of the Rapids made 25 saves in the loss. Game 2 is Sunday afternoon in Bathurst.
Truro Bearcats roll to a 6-0 win in Game 1 over Pictou County
Opening the playoffs on home ice, the Truro Bearcats scored two goals in each period en route to a 6-0 win over the Crushers in Game 1 of their Eastlink South Division Semi-Final.
Logan Quinn opened the scoring at 9:26, followed by Callum Aucoin at 11:53 of the 1st. Antoine Fontaine made it a 3-0 lead at 11:13 of the 2nd period, and Aucoin picked up his second goal of the night at 16:19 on the powerplay.
In the 3rd period, Fontaine got his second goal of the night, this time on the powerplay, to make it 5-0. Aucoin finished off the hat trick with a goal at 17:13 to make the final 6-0 for Truro.
Truro’s 16-year-old netminder Sam Berthiaume made 34 saves for the shutout, while Yianni Karkoulas stopped 29 of 35 shots in the loss. Game 2 is at the Pictou County Wellness Centre on Sunday.