RAPIDS ARE DEFEATED 8-5 IN SUMMERSIDE
SUMMERSIDE (PEI) – In an offensive minded game played at Credit Union Place on Sunday night, the league leading Summerside Western Capitals avenged their loss to the Rapids suffered a week ago, beating them by a score of 8-5.
Josh MacDonald scored three goals for Summerside while Marc Richard and Aaron Brown both finished the game with two goals.
Dominic Leblanc led the way offensively for the Rapids with 2 goals and 1 assist.
For the Western Capitals, it was a 25th victory this season. They now hold a 14-point lead on Edmundston atop the Eastlink North division standings.
Grand Falls’ record now stands at 12 wins, 19 losses and 1 overtime defeat for 25 points. The Rapids are still 8 points back of the Campbellton Tigers for the last remaining playoff spot in their division.
The Rapids got on the board early in the opening period, surprising their opponents and being the better team on the offensive front.
William Théberge found the back of the net at 4:22 on a slap shot from the faceoff circle, beating Summerside netminder Jacob Leblanc on the short side. The Rapids doubled their lead only 37 seconds later when Joakim Bergeron’s wrister went through Leblanc’s pads as the puck slowly trickled behind him. It was Bergeron’s 16th goal of the season.
However, the Western Capitals came storming back, taking advantage of a Rapids’ penalty to get on the board at 10:01 on Josh MacDonald’s 27th goal of the season. Then at 11:33, Marc Richard scored his first of the period as he broke through a pair of defensemen and sent a perfect wrist shot past Morgan Kini to tie the score 2-2.
Richard added his second tally of the game with 1:21 remaining in the period following a face off win as Summerside was playing with the man advantage. The Western Capitals skated off the ice with a 3-2 lead after twenty minutes of play.
Shots on goal were 12 to 11 in favour of the Rapids after twenty minutes of play.
Cameron Brown tied the score for the Rapids at 8:36 of the middle frame. It was Brown’s second of the season. But the Western Capitals regained the lead at 9:15 with Josh MacDonald’s second of the game.
Summerside added to its lead at 16:06 on a shot from Aaron Brown that was redirected into the back of the net.
Then on a two on one break late in the period while his team was playing shorthanded, Brown added his second of the game after putting a rebound past Morgan Kini, giving Summerside a three-goal lead at that point.
Grand Falls added its fourth goal with only 9 seconds remaining in the period when Dominic Leblanc took control of a loose puck in front, sending a shot into the top corner of the net for his 19th goal of the season.
Shots on goal through two periods of play were 29 to 21 for the Western Capitals who held at that point a 6-4 lead.
Colby MacArthur scored his 15th of the season for Summerside at the 4-minute mark of the third period as the three-goal lead was restored.
Then Josh MacDonald took possession of a loose puck in the slot to complete his hat trick at 8:21, bringing the score to 8-4.
Dominic Leblanc scored the Rapids’ 5th goal at 18:31, his 20th of the season after going top shelf on netminder Jacob Leblanc.
The final tally in shots on goal was 42 to 30 in favour of Summerside.
The Rapids will be in action on Wednesday night as they return on home ice to play their Northwestern rivals, the Edmundston Blizzard. Puck drop is at 7:30pm at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre.
Patrick Thibault
GAME NOTES:
*Colby MacArthur had a great game offensively for Summerside with 1 goal and 6 assists. Aaron Brown also contributed with 2 goals and 4 assists while Josh MacDonald finished the game with a hat trick (3g 1a).
For the Rapids, only Dominic Leblanc (2g 1a) was able to add more than 1 point to his record on Sunday night.
*Summerside scored two power play goals in 4 PP opportunities. The Rapids were for their part shutout in 5 tries with the man advantage.
*Three stars of the game: 1- Colby MacArthur (SWC); 2- Aaron Brown (SWC); 3- Dominic Leblanc (GFR)
*Game attendance: 801 spectators
Scoring
| 1st | |||
| 4:22 | GFR | William Theberge (2) ASST: Dominic Leblanc (25), Cole McKeigan (1) | |
| 4:59 | GFR | Joakim Bergeron (16) ASST: Nico Laforge (1) | |
| 10:01 | SWC | Josh MacDonald (27) ASST: Colby MacArthur (36), Aaron Brown (17) (PP) | |
| 11:33 | SWC | Marc Richard (19) ASST: Will Proud (8), William Irvine (1) | |
| 18:36 | SWC | Marc Richard (20) ASST: Colby MacArthur (37), Jacob Stewart (4) (PP) | |
| 2nd | |||
| 8:36 | GFR | Cameron Brown (2) ASST: Jeremie Gagnon (10), Adam Fowlow (7) | |
| 9:15 | SWC | Josh MacDonald (28) ASST: Colby MacArthur (38), Aaron Brown (18) | |
| 16:06 | SWC | Aaron Brown (16) ASST: Colby MacArthur (39), Sam Dow (15) | |
| 18:42 | SWC | Aaron Brown (17) ASST: Colby MacArthur (40), Josh MacDonald (28) (SH) | |
| 19:51 | GFR | Dominic Leblanc (19) ASST: Alexis Cournoyer (14) | |
| 3rd | |||
| 3:27 | SWC | Colby MacArthur (15) ASST: Aaron Brown (19), William Irvine (2) | |
| 8:21 | SWC | Josh MacDonald (29) ASST: Aaron Brown (20), Colby MacArthur (41) | |
| 18:31 | GFR | Dominic Leblanc (20) ASST: None |