The Edmundston Blizzard have taken the first step in defending their Eastlink North Division title with a four-game sweep of the Fredericton Red Wings in the first round of the Metalfab MHL Cup Playoffs.
Philippe Collette had four goals in a 10-3 win for the Blizzard in front of 2230 fans in Game 1 at Centre Jean Daigle. The game was tied 2-2 after the first period, but Edmundston scored twice in the 2nd period and added five goals in a five minute span late in the 3rd period to complete the victory.
Game 2 was much of the same for the Blizzard, as they took a 2-0 series lead with a 7-1 win in Fredericton. Félix Bédard and Dominic LeBlanc each scored two goals in the win.
The series tightened up as they teams took the ice in Edmundston for Game 3. Scoring champion Carter McCluskey put the Red Wings up 1-0 with a goal at 18:29 of the 2nd period and Yacine Chemrouk had made 24 saves to that point. The Blizzard out-shot Fredericton 16-10 in the 3rd period, with LeBlanc tying the game with just seventeen seconds left in regulation. In overtime, after a slashing penalty against Fredericton, LeBlanc scored the winner on a one-timer to give the Blizzard a 2-1 victory and a 3-0 series lead.
Facing a win-or-go-home situation on home ice, the Red Wings again struck first and again it was a late 2nd period goal; this time from Cam Thomson at 18:43. However, Jérémy Fortin tied the game with a goal just 27 seconds later. After a tense 3rd period, LeBlanc scored his 3rd game-winning goal of the series at 18:51 to give Edmundston the series win.
The Blizzard now await the winner of the West Kent/Miramichi series in the Eastlink North Division Final.