FREDERICTON – Colin Parker scored three first period goals and the Grand Falls Rapids held on to a 6-4 victory Sunday afternoon on the road against the Fredericton Red Wings.
Parker registered his first three tallies of the season in a game dominated 41-38 by Grand Falls in the shots on goal department.
Bryce Thomson and Nicholas Brenner completed the scoring for the Rapids who now hold a .500 record at 4-4-1 for 9 points, which puts them in a tie with the Campbellton Tigers for fourth spot in the Eastlink North division standings.
The Rapids came out strong in the opening period, scoring three unanswered goals before the 10-minute mark of the frame.
Colin Parker, the 20-year-old Newport Nova Scotia native, scored his first of the game at 6:13 with a shot to the far side of Red Wings’ netminder Mavric Welk.
Parker added his second tally 35 seconds later on a deflection in front of the Fredericton net. Then at 8:04 while the Rapids were playing with the man advantage, Dominic LeBlanc gave his team a three-goal lead with a high shot for his 12th of the season.
Fredericton finally got on the board at 12:50 on Max Sarrasin’s 7th of the season. Parker would however complete the hat trick at 18:34 on a breakaway, scoring with a backhand shot that put Grand Falls ahead 4-1 through twenty minutes of play.
The second period belonged to the Red Wings who outshot their opponents 12 to 10 while scoring twice to reduce the margin to a single goal.
Matthew Mueller scored both goals, which came at 1:07 and 6:02 of the middle frame.
The Rapids added two goals in the third period. Bryce Thomson scored on a rebound in front of the Fredericton net mid-way in the frame, his second of the season.
Then after the Rapids won the draw in Red Wings’ territory, Nicholas Brenner sent a screen shot that found the back of the net at 14:19.
Fredericton’s fourth goal came at 19:05 while they were playing with an extra attacker. Slava Melikov, with his second of the season, was the recipient of the goal.
It was the Rapids’ second win this season against the Red Wings, both coming on the road.
Adam Lecours notched his 3rd victory of the season between the pipes for Grand Falls.
The Rapids will finally return on home ice next weekend as they get ready to host Pictou County on Friday night and Summerside on Sunday afternoon.
GAME NOTES:
*Dominic LeBlanc, playing in his 100th MHL game, scored his league-leading 12th goal of the season in the first period.
*Colin Parker led the way offensively for the Rapids with 3g.
Jules Delepoulle, Jeremy Boulanger and Will Morrison all picked up 2 assists for Grand Falls.
Matthew Mueller was the Red Wings leading scorer with 2g 1a.
*Game attendance: 702
*Three stars of the game: 1- Colin Parker (GFR) 2- Matthew Mueller (FRW); 3- Jules Delepoulle (GFR)
Patrick Thibault
Scoring
1st
6:13 GFR Colin Parker (1) ASST: None
6:48 GFR Colin Parker (2) ASST: Will Morrison (2)
8:04 GFR Dominic LeBlanc (12) ASST: Jeremy Boulanger (10), Jules Delepoulle (6) (PP)
12:50 FRW Manix Sarrasin (7) ASST: Alex Roode (9), Matthew Mueller (5)
18:34 GFR Colin Parker (3) ASST: Jonah Leard (2), Will Morrison (3)
2nd
1:07 FRW Matthew Mueller (6) ASST: Slava Melikov (4), Mavric Welk (1)
6:02 FRW Matthew Mueller (7) ASST: None
3rd
10:50 GFR Bryce Thomson (2) ASST: Jules Delepoulle (7), Ty Hunter (2)
14:19 GFR Nicholas Brennan (3) ASST: Jeremy Boulanger (11)
19:05 FRW Slava Melikov (2) ASST: Noah Befekadu (1)