GRAND FALLS – It was a great team effort from start to finish by the Rapids on Friday night in front of a crowd of 903 spectators at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre. For the occasion, the Summerside Western Capitals were in town, leaders of the EastLink South division and 5th ranked team in the nation.
Led by two goals from Caleb MacDonald and 3 powerplay tallies, the Rapids skated away with a 7-4 victory, earning their 4th victory of the season.
Ahead 3-0 after twenty minutes of play, Grand Falls saw its opponent score three unanswered goals in the middle frame to tie the score. The Rapids would however regain the lead with two goals before the end of the second period and would add two more in the third.
Jonah Leard also contributed offensively with a 1g 2a performance. Patrick Baxter, Nicholas Brennan and Dawson Grandy all finished the game with 1g 1a while Raphael Denis and Nathan Rhodes both collected 2 assists.
Loic Nadeau earned the win between the pipes, facing a total of 30 shots.
The Rapids jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first period on three power play tallies, including two on a 5 on 3 man advantage. Nicholas Brennan took control of his own rebound in front of the net to give Grand Falls a 1-0 lead at 5:15.
Caleb MacDonald scored his first of the night at 12:04 and Dawson Grandy added the third power play goal at 19:42 on a tip in front of the crease.
The Western Capitals would storm back with three quick goals in the first 6 minutes of play of the third period to tie the game. Goals came from Dennis Lominac at 5:07, Brennan Murphy at 5:30 and Michael MacLean at 6:55.
Cole MacWilliam would give Grand Falls the lead 4-3 at 11:29 on a one-timer from the slot. Then at 14:42, Patrick Baxter scored a shorthanded goal, the first one by the Rapids this season, giving his team a 5-3 lead.
Brett Arsenault cut the margin to 5-4 as he scored for the visitors at 38 seconds of play into the third period.
But MacDonald would add his second goal of the game and his 8th of the season at 13:55 on a brilliant three-man rush into Summerside territory following a quick rebound off the boards.
Jonah Leard added the 7th Rapids’ goal into an empty net, earning his team-leading 11th goal of the season.
The Rapids were without their top scorer, Jeremy D’Astous, who had to sit out a one game suspension.
Grand Falls outshot Summerside 37 to 30 in a rough affair at times, notably in the opening period.
The win enables the Rapids to take possession of 5th spot in the EastLink North division, 1 point ahead of the Fredericton Red Wings who will be at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre on Sunday afternoon.
It was also a 5th point gained in 5 games for the Rapids.
For Summerside, it was only a second regulation loss this season.
*3 STARS OF THE GAME:
1- Caleb MacDonald (GFR); 2- Raphael Denis(GFR); 3- Brennan Murphy (SWC)
Patrick Thibault
Scoring
|
1st |
|
|
|
|
5:15 |
GFR |
Nicholas Brennan (3) ASST: Nathan Rhodes (4) (PP) |
|
|
12:04 |
GFR |
Caleb MacDonald (7) ASST: Jonah Leard (8), Raphael Denis (9) (PP) |
|
|
19:42 |
GFR |
Dawson Grandy (2) ASST: Jonah Leard (9) (PP) |
|
|
2nd |
|
|
|
|
5:07 |
SWC |
Dennis Lominac (3) ASST: Ryder Howatt (7) |
|
|
5:30 |
SWC |
Brennan Murphy (5) ASST: Dennis Lominac (5), Isaac Vos (15) |
|
|
6:55 |
SWC |
Michael MacLean (2) ASST: None |
|
|
11:29 |
GFR |
Cole MacWilliam (3) ASST: Dawson Grandy (2), Nicholas Brennan (6) |
|
|
14:42 |
GFR |
Patrick Baxter (3) ASST: Brody Pare (2), Raphael Denis (10) (SH) |
|
|
3rd |
|
|
|
|
0:38 |
SWC |
Brett Arsenault (13) ASST: Dennis Lominac (6), Brennan Murphy (12) |
|
|
13:55 |
GFR |
Caleb MacDonald (8) ASST: Patrick Baxter (6), Nathan Rhodes (5) |
|
|
17:56 |
GFR |
Jonah Leard (11) ASST: None (EN) |