GRAND FALLS – The Rapids finished the weekend with a .500 mark as they put an end to a four-game winless streak, defeating the Valley Wildcats by a score of 6-2 on Sunday afternoon at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre.
Colin Parker led the way offensively with a hat trick, his 6th, 7th and 8th goals of the season. Ty Hunter, Will Morrison and Marcellus Francis completed the scoring as Grand Falls earned win number 15 on the season and an 8th on home ice.
The Rapids came out strong out of the gate. Coming from behind the opposing net, Tristan Sanchez sent a pass to Colin Parker who was well positioned near the crease. Parker pushed the puck into the back of the net for his first goal of the contest which came at 53 seconds of play.
The Rapids led 13 to 10 in shots on goal in the opening frame.
Grand Falls took a two-goal lead at 4:57 of the middle frame. Following a rush in Wildcats’ territory, Nicholas Brennan’s shot was initially blocked by goaltender Sam Sinclair, but Ty Hunter was in front to put in the rebound. It was Hunter’s 9th goal of the season.
Valley replied at 7:42 on Landen Toole’s wrist shot that got by netminder Adam Lecours, cutting the Rapids’ lead to 2-1.
Playing against the second-most penalized team in the league, the Rapids had to play a physical game during the second period. However, they did cash in on a 5 on 4 power play at 9:41 on Will Morrison’s wrister from the slot.
The Rapids took a 4-1 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the period while they were playing shorthanded. After stealing the puck at his own blue line, Colin Parker went on a breakaway and scored his second goal of the game.
Parker completed the hat trick by tipping in a shot from Tristan Sanchez at 6:19 of the third period, giving the Rapids a 5-1 lead.
Marcellus Francis, from the faceoff circle, scored Grand Falls’ 6th goal at 13:37, his 9th of the season.
Spencer Caines added the Wildcats’ second goal, a power play tally coming at 17:59.
The Rapids led the game 43 to 39 in the shots on goal department. Adam Lecours was the winning goalie, his 13th victory of the season between the pipes.
Greg Leland’s squad will play its two remaining games on the schedule next weekend. Friday night, the Rapids host the Miramichi Timberwolves at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre while on Sunday afternoon, they travel to Fredericton for a matchup against the Red Wings.
GAME NOTES:
*Jérémy Boulanger and Tristan Sanchez both picked up a pair of assists for the Rapids.
*Colin Parker’s shorthanded goal was the Rapids, 5th of the season.
*Both teams scored once on the power play: Valley went 1 for 5 while Grand Falls was 1 for 2.
*Game attendance: 779
*Three stars of the game: 1- Colin Parker (GFR) 2- Adam Lecours (GFR); Will Morrison (GFR)
Patrick Thibault
Scoring
1st
0:53 GFR Colin Parker (6) ASST: Tristan Sanchez (5), Cole MacWilliam (5)
2nd
4:57 GFR Ty Hunter (9) ASST: Jeremy Boulanger (33), Nicholas Brennan (16)
7:42 VAL Landen Toole (9) ASST: Aidan MacLeod (5), Tyler Totten (17)
9:41 GFR Will Morrison (2) ASST: Jeremy Boulanger (34) (PP)
18:25 GFR Colin Parker (7) ASST: None (SH)
3rd
6:19 GFR Colin Parker (8) ASST: Raphael Denis (20), Tristan Sanchez (6)
13:37 GFR Marcellus Francis (9) ASST: Nick Beatty (2)
17:59 VAL Spencer Caines (26) ASST: Ben Nicholson (13) (PP)