RAPIDS DROP A 5-4 OVERTIME DECISION TO THE STEAMERS

GRAND FALLS – Noah Larochelle’s second goal of the game scored at 1:15 of overtime gave the West Kent Steamers a 5-4 victory Friday night at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre.
Larochelle beat netminder Jeremy Thibodeau-Soucy from the slot as the Rapids dropped their second consecutive game on home ice.

It was a wild scoring affair early on with the Rapids having a 36-31 advantage in shots on goal. West Kent scored two power play goals in the game, including the game tying goal that sent the game into extra time.

A total of four goals were scored in the opening period as the Rapids held the lead on three occasions, but the Steamers came back each time to tie the score.
Patrick Baxter got things going early for Grand Falls when he took the puck from a defenseman before scoring his 5th of the season at 22 seconds of play. Then Spencer Caines, with his first of the game, tied the score for West Kent with the man advantage at 4:17.

Isaac Allard gave the Rapids a 2-1 lead on a shot from the point at 8:23, but Noah Larochelle replied for the visitors at 9:31.
With 2:50 remaining in the frame, Zackarie Michaud received a pass in front of the net from Tristan Richard, scoring his 7th of the season. But once again, the Steamers came back to knot the game at 3-3 on a goal by Spencer Caines at 18:56.

Each team got on the board once in the second period as the score remained tie at 4-4.
Isaac Allard scored his second of the game on an odd-man rush for Grand Falls at 2:48 of the frame. Then for the fourth time in the contest, West Kent tied the score on a goal from Victor Laliberté, a power play tally once again at 7:17.
The Rapids obtained their first power play opportunity of the night late in the period, but were unable to cash in.

No goals were scored in the third period.
Note that the Rapids will return on home ice on Sunday afternoon as they clash with the Chaleur Lightning for first spot in the Eastlink North division standings. Puck drop is at 3pm at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre.

EXTRA NOTES …

*Noah Larochelle (2g 2a) had a 4-point night for West Kent. Victor Laliberté also had a strong game offensively with a 1g 2a performance.
For the Rapids, Isaac Allard (2g) and Zackarie Michaud (1g 1a) led the way.

*The three stars of the game were in order: 1- Isaac Allard (GFR); 2- Loic Francoeur (GFR); 3- Spencer Caines (WKS)

Patrick Thibault

Scoring
1st
0:22 GFR Patrick Baxter (5) ASST: None

4:17 WKS Spencer Caines (8) ASST: Natan Grenier (17), Victor Laliberté (2) (PP)

8:23 GFR Isaac Allard (3) ASST: Loic Francoeur (10)

9:31 WKS Noah Larochelle (8) ASST: None

17:10 GFR Zackarie Michaud (7) ASST: Tristan Richard (3), Julien Avignon-Bourque (7)

18:56 WKS Spencer Caines (9) ASST: Noah Larochelle (9), Victor Laliberté (3)

2nd
2:48 GFR Isaac Allard (4) ASST: Zackarie Michaud (13), Julien Avignon-Bourque (8)

7:17 WKS Victor Laliberté (4) ASST: Natan Grenier (18), Noah Larochelle (10) (PP)

3rd
No Scoring
1st OT
1:15 WKS Noah Larochelle (9) ASST: Pierre-Marc Minville (7)