CAMPBELLTON – Jonah Leard scored three times and the Grand Falls Rapids matched their season-high in goals, defeating the Campbellton Tigers by a score of 7-4 Sunday afternoon at the Memorial Civic Centre.
Leard’s three goals all came in the second period as he now totals 13 on the season. He also added two assists for a 5-point game.
Ethan Johnson also finished the contest with 5 points with 1 goal and 4 assists.
Adam Lecours won his 11th game of the season between the pipes.
It was a 4th consecutive victory for the Rapids and a 5th in their last 6 games. Grand Falls has also cut Campbellton’s lead to 1 point for possession of 5th place in the Eastlink North division standings.
As they did during the last matchup between both teams, the Rapids scored early out of the gate. In fact, there were only 17 seconds that went off the clock when Damian Metastasio received a pass from Ethan Johnson in front of the net, scoring on a wrist shot to give the Rapids the lead.
Jérémy Boulanger, on a power play, added the visitors’ second goal at 6:10 on a shot that seemed to deflect in front of the net. It was Boulanger’s 14th tally of the season and his 4th PP goal.
Then at 14:10, the Tigers got on the board on a goal from Jett McCullum.
Both teams shared goals at the 7-minute mark of the second period. Jonah Leard scored his first goal of the game at 7:23, followed by Ethan Clements’ tally coming off a faceoff win at 7:54.
Then the Rapids added two more goals before the end of the period, both by Leard. He doubled the Rapids’ lead at 15:04 on a breakaway after receiving a nice stretch pass from defenseman Raphaël Denis. And after coming around the net, Leard sent a shot between the post and Tigers’ netminder Ben Williams, completing his hat trick (at 17:05) and sending the Rapids to a 5-2 lead after two periods of play.
Four goals were scored in the third period, two on each side.
Grand Falls made it 6-2 on a wrist shot from Marcellus Francis, scoring his 8th of the season. Ethan Johnson added the Rapids, 7th goal after receiving a pass in front of the net from Jonah Leard. It was Johnson’s 12th of the campaign.
The Tigers made it interesting by adding two quick goals which came from Jean-Alexandre Tétreault and Jack Brown. But the Rapids held on for the victory, tying the season series at 4 wins apiece with the Tigers.
Greg Leland’s squad will have the opportunity to claim 5th spot in the North division on Monday as the team will host the Truro Bearcats at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre. Puck drop is at 3pm.
GAME NOTES:
*Jonah Leard (3g 2a) and Ethan Johnson (1g 4a) both led the Rapids’ offence on Sunday afternoon.
Damian Metastasio (1g 1a) and Raphaël Denis (2a) finished the game with 2 points.
Ethan Clements and Jett McCullum (1g 1a) were the leading scorers for Campbellton.
*The Rapids went 1 for 2 on the power play while the Tigers went scoreless with the man advantage in 3 tries.
*Game attendance: 662
*Three stars of the game: 1- Jonah Leard (GFR); 2- Ethan Johnson (GFR); Jett McCullum (CAM)
Patrick Thibault
Scoring
1st
0:17 GFR Damian Metastasio (6) ASST: Ethan Johnson (24), Jonah Leard (9)
6:10 GFR Jeremy Boulanger (14) ASST: Ethan Johnson (25), Raphael Denis (16) (PP)
14:10 CAM Jett McCullum (12) ASST: William Schofield (33), Tyler Pazin (15)
2nd
7:23 GFR Jonah Leard (11) ASST: Ethan Johnson (26), Tristan Sanchez (3)
7:54 CAM Ethan Clements (5) ASST: Noah King (6)
15:04 GFR Jonah Leard (12) ASST: Raphael Denis (17)
17:05 GFR Jonah Leard (13) ASST: Damian Metastasio (10), Ethan Johnson (27)
3rd
2:10 GFR Marcellus Francis (8) ASST: Colin Parker (9), Tyrell Mulrooney (2)
3:10 GFR Ethan Johnson (12) ASST: Jonah Leard (10)
7:34 CAM Jean-Alexandre Tétreault (8) ASST: None
9:18 CAM Jack Brown (3) ASST: Ethan Clements (6), Jett McCullum (29)