RAMBLERS DEFEAT RAPIDS IN OVERTIME
GRAND FALLS – Zach Wheeler scored the game tying goal late in the third period and answered back with the game winner early in overtime, giving the Amherst Ramblers a 6-5 victory Saturday night in Grand Falls.
Playing in their home opener in front of a crowd of 867 at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre, the Rapids led on three occasions in the contest.Despite the loss, fans were very much entertained by the quality of play and the fast transition from one end to the other.
Trailing 5-4 with less than a minute left in the third period, the Ramblers scored on the power play when Wheeler’s shot beat netminder Noah Preston Moore from the slot.
And it didn’t take long for the visitors to put an end to the contest in overtime. As he got away from a defender, Wheeler sent a wrist shot that found the back of the net, giving the Ramblers their third victory of the season.
As for the Rapids, their record now stands at 1 win, 1 loss and 1 overtime defeat for 3 points.
It was a promising start to the game for the Rapids as they took a 2-0 lead in the opening period on goals from Louis-Carl Tremblay and Zackarie Michaud. Michaud, who was paired on a line with Jonah Leard and Antoine L’Italien, was playing his first game of the season.
Amherst reduced the margin to 2-1 with a late first period goal from Christian White.
Elliott Duval tied the score 2-2 for the visitors at 8:25 of the second period following a two-on-one break. But only 10 seconds later, Grand Falls regained the lead when Oliver Plante was left alone in front of the Amherst crease, beating goaltender Hudson Bradley.
Elliot Wright tied the score once again for the Ramblers at 16:15 of the period, but Jonah Leard’s shot from a tough angle at 19:43 gave the Rapids a 4-3 lead after forty minutes of play.
Brayden Watson’s slap shot at 42 seconds into the third period gave the Rapids a 5-3 lead, but Gabriel Boivin replied 14 seconds later to cut Amherst’s deficit to one goal.
Zach Wheeler (2g 1a) took care of business afterwards with his 4th and 5th goals of the season for the Ramblers.
In a fast-paced game with many scoring opportunities on both sides, it was the Rapids who led in the shots on goal department, 44 to 42. Once again, the Rapids went scoreless on the power play on 4 opportunities.
Jonah Leard and Zackarie Michaud both finished the game with 1g 1a for the Rapids who will host Sunday afternoon the Summerside Western Capitals. Puck drop is at 3pm at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre.
Patrick Thibault
Three stars of the game:
1-Jonah Leard (GFR)
2- Zackarie Michaud (GFR)
3- Elliott Duval (AMH)
Scoring
|
1st |
|
|
|
|
11:57 |
GFR |
Louis-Carl Tremblay (1) ASST: Patrick Baxter (2), Jayden Burtt-Munn (1) |
|
|
15:55 |
GFR |
Zackarie Michaud (1) ASST: Jonah Leard (1), Antoine L’Italien (2) |
|
|
19:10 |
AMH |
Christian White (1) ASST: Jonathan Lau (3), Zach Wheeler (3) |
|
|
2nd |
|
|
|
|
8:25 |
AMH |
Elliott Duval (2) ASST: Ethan Fraser (1), Ben Manos (2) |
|
|
8:35 |
GFR |
Oliver Plante (1) ASST: Xavier Normand (1), Kaden Bell (1) |
|
|
16:15 |
AMH |
Elliot Wright (3) ASST: Brock Lyons (5), Evan Nicholson (1) |
|
|
19:43 |
GFR |
Jonah Leard (1) ASST: Antoine L’Italien (3), Zackarie Michaud (1) |
|
|
3rd |
|
|
|
|
0:42 |
GFR |
Brayden Watson (2) ASST: Patrick Baxter (3) |
|
|
0:56 |
AMH |
Gabriel Boivin (1) ASST: Elliott Duval (1), Ethan Fraser (2) |
|
|
18:32 |
AMH |
Zach Wheeler (4) ASST: Jonathan Lau (4) (PP) |
|
|
1st OT |
|
|
|
|
0:21 |
AMH |
Zach Wheeler (5) ASST: Coen Miller (3) |