GRAND FALLS – Despite outshooting their opponents 40 to 22, the Grand Falls Rapids came up short on Monday afternoon in a 5-3 loss to the Truro Bearcats, putting an end to a four-game winning streak.
Merle Putnam scored twice for the Bearcats who never relinquished the lead they took at the 6-minute mark of the second period. Three times the Rapids were able to come within one goal, but Truro always answered back to regain a two-goal cushion.
It was only a second loss in 7 games for the Rapids who conclude the weekend with 2 wins and 1 loss. Grand Falls still remains 1-point back of the Campbellton Tigers for 5th spot in the Eastlink North division standings.
After a scoreless first period, four goals were scored in the middle frame.
Merle Putnam opened the scoring for Truro at 6:53 with the man advantage. He followed up teammate Zach Welsh’s shot that initially hit the mask of goaltender Will Hodgson.
The Rapids thought they had the score tied mid-way in the period when Marcellus Francis sent a shot to the back of the net, but goaltending interference was called on the play.
Then at 12:22, Brendan MacRitchie of the Bearcats also had a goal disallowed, but 7 seconds later, he came back to score on a pass in front of the net to give Truro a two-goal lead.
Note that the Bearcats also had a goal called off in the opening period.
The Rapids cut the lead to 2-1 at 13:59 of the second period. Coming off the bench immediately after his team had killed off a penalty, Brody Pare went on a breakaway and beat Bearcats’ netminder Frederic Cousineau for his first goal of the season.
However, Truro would regain a two-goal lead with a late power play tally coming with only 11 seconds remaining in the frame. Merle Putnam was credited with the goal, his second of the game, as Truro went ahead 3-1 after two periods of play.
Both teams got on the board twice in the third period. Raphael Denis sent a shot from the point on the power play that found the back of the net at 3:59. Truro replied at 5:47 on a goal by Alex Roode.
The Rapids brought the score to 4-3 on a nice individual effort from Tyrell Multooney who beat the netminder with a great move.
But as they did from the start of the contest, the Bearcats answered back to regain their two-goal cushion at 11:08. Zach Welsh brought the score to 5-3 in favor of the visitors.
The Rapids will get a well-deserved break before hitting the ice next Saturday in Miramichi. They come back home on Sunday afternoon to face the West kent Steamers for a 3pm game at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre.
GAME NOTES:
*Lucas Canning, with 3 assists, was the leading scorer for Truro.
There were no players on the Rapids’ side that had more than 1 point to their credit.
*The Bearcats scored two power play goals in the game on 4 PP opportunities.
The Rapids did score 1 PP goal on 4 occasions with the man advantage.
*Game attendance: 864
*Three stars of the game: 1- Brendan MacRitchie (TRU); 2- Alex Roode (TRU); Colin Parker (GFR)
Patrick Thibault
Scoring
1st
No Scoring
2nd
6:53 TRU Merle Putnam (17) ASST: Lucas Canning (18), Zach Welsh (29) (PP)
12:29 TRU Brendan MacRitchie (14) ASST: Alex Roode (21)
13:59 GFR Brody Pare (1) ASST: Tristan Sanchez (4), Colin Parker (10)
19:49 TRU Merle Putnam (18) ASST: Lucas Canning (19), Tyler Guy (3) (PP)
3rd
3:59 GFR Raphael Denis (5) ASST: Ethan Johnson (28), Jeremy Boulanger (31) (PP)
5:47 TRU Alex Roode (27) ASST: Julien Roy (12), Tyler Guy (4)
7:58 GFR Tyrell Mulrooney (2) ASST: Marcellus Francis (6), Nicholas Brennan (15)
11:08 TRU Zach Welsh (6) ASST: Lucas Canning (20), Brendan MacRitchie (25)