CAMPBELLTON – The Campbellton Tigers scored four unanswered goals, including three in the opening frame, winning by a score of 6-3 Sunday night on home ice over the Rapids who are now winless in their last five games.
Jake Kyle scored twice for the Tigers while Dawson Stairs had a strong game offensively with a performance of 1 goal and 3 assists.
Reid Calder, Ethan Johnson and Kobe Burt found the back of the net for the Rapids who were outshot 34 to 24 in the contest.
It started out as a very promising night for the Rapids as they took an early 2-0 lead. Reid Calder scored his first of the season on an innocent wrist shot from centre ice that bounced awkwardly in front of Tigers’ goaltender Jacob Carrier. The goal came at 1:04 as goaltender Frédéric Plourde was awarded an assist on the play.
Then at 4:19, Ethan Johnson scored a power play goal from the slot after the Rapids dominated play with great puck movement in Tigers’ territory. It was Johnson’s second tally of the season as Ben Diamond obtained an assist, his 23rd of the campaign.
That lead did not last for long as the Tigers came back with three goals before the end of the opening frame. Jake Kyle scored on a rebound in front of the net at 7:00, his first of the game. Connor Richard tied the game on a one-timer, a power play goal which came at 16:16. Then at 18:39, Jake Kyle scored his second of the contest to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead after twenty minutes of play.
Only one goal was scored in the second period, and it came very late. In fact, with only 10 seconds left on the clock, Dawson Stairs beat Frédéric Plourde with a backhand shot for his 26th goal of the season. Instead of a one-goal game heading into the third period, the Rapids were down by two goals after forty minutes of play.
Grand Falls did get back to within one goal of the Tigers at the 6-minute mark of the third period on Kobe Burt’s second of the season.
Dominic LeBlanc came very close to tying the game while on a breakaway, but we was denied by netminder Jacob Carrier. On the same sequence of play, Justin David also went on a breakaway and did not miss the opportunity to put Campbellton ahead by two goals at 12:13. Austin Arsenault added the Tigers’ sixth goal in an empty net at 18:53.
The Rapids will play their next game on Tuesday night in Summerside as they will try to put an end to a 5-game losing streak. Grand Falls now trails the Miramichi Timberwolves by 12 points for 4th spot in the Eastlink North division standings.
Patrick Thibault
GAME NOTES:
*Dawson Stairs (1g 3a) and Jake Kyle (1g 2a) led the way offensively for Campbellton.
Ben Diamond was the only Rapids’ player to pick up 2 points in the game with a couple of assists.
*Each team scored one power play goal. The Rapids now have 38 PP goals on the season for a 27.5% efficiency, which ranks third in the Eastlink North division.
*Game attendance: 665 spectators
*Three stars of the game: 1- Jake Kyle (CAM); 2- Connor Richard (CAM); 3- Justin David (CAM)
Scoring
1st
1:04 GFR Reid Calder (1) ASST: Frédéric Plourde (1)
4:19 GFR Ethan Johnson (2) ASST: Ben Diamond (23) (PP)
7:00 CAM Jake Kyle (10) ASST: Dawson Stairs (28), Jadon Reimer (25)
16:16 CAM Connor Richard (21) ASST: Dawson Stairs (29), Ethan Dollemont (20) (PP)
18:39 CAM Jake Kyle (11) ASST: Dawson Stairs (30), Connor Richard (33)
2nd
19:50 CAM Dawson Stairs (26) ASST: Jake Kyle (34)
3rd
6:08 GFR Kobe Burt (2) ASST: Alexandre Michaud (1), Ben Diamond (24)
12:13 CAM Justin David (22) ASST: Austin Arsenault (12)
18:53 CAM Austin Arsenault (16) ASST: Justin David (36), Eli Reimer (20) (EN)