Truro Bearcats rally to take Game 2 of the Eastlink South Division Final
Truro have a 2-0 lead in the Eastlink South Division Final after a 3-1 victory on home ice on Saturday night.
Summerside got on the board quickly, just 1:41 into the 1st period, as a point shot was deflected in the slot by Justin Ouellette, which caught Bearcats goaltender Sam Berthiaume moving to his right. In the 2nd period, Liam Welsh evened things up at 9:52. Matthew Bolduc gave Truro its first lead of the night, taking a pass from the end boards and beating Summerside goaltender Kolton Bourret at 16:06.
In the 3rd period, there weren’t many opportunities for either team as shots were limited. In the final minute, Bolduc blocked a point shot and fired the puck down the ice into the empty net with 36 seconds remaining to send the Bearcats to the win in the Metalfab MHL Cup Playoffs.
Berthiaume made 22 saves for the victory, while Bourret made 19 saves in the loss. Game 3 is Monday in Summerside.
Chaleur cut into Edmundston’s series lead with a Game 3 win
The Chaleur Lightning are right back into the Eastlink North Division Final with a 5-4 win in Edmundston to hand the Blizzard their first loss of these playoffs.
Sam Rocca got Chaleur on the board first at 4:26, but Michael Arsenault scored his sixth goal of the playoffs to even things at 1. Rocca found the back of the net again at 11:51 of the 1st period to give the visitors a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.
David Lebel extended that lead to 3-11 at 1:24 of the 2nd period, but the Blizzard scored twice in 50 seconds to tie things 3-3. François-Xavier Mercier scored at 10:00, followed by William Labranche at 10:50. Zachary Rushton gave Chaleur the lead back at 5:28 of the 3rd period and Will Carroll made it 5-3 for the Lightning with a goal at 14:52. Labranche’s eighth goal of the playoffs cut the lead back to 5-4, but that’s as close as Edmundston would get.
Jacka Flanagan picked up the win in goal with 27 saves for Chaleur. Cedric Massé made 33 saves in the loss. Game 4 is Tuesday in Bathurst.