GRAND FALLS – The Rapids played one of their best games of the season Sunday afternoon on home ice, defeating the Campbellton Tigers by a score of 7-3.
Tate Brenner and Ethan Johnson both scored twice for Grand Falls. Nicholas Brennan, Colin Parker and Jonah Leard completed the scoring.
The offensive line of Brennan, Brenner and Marcellus Francis had a very productive game, obtaining a total of 8 points.
The win came at an opportunistic time for the Rapids who put an end to a three-game losing streak. It also cut the Tigers lead to only 1 point over the Rapids in the standings for 5th spot in the Eastlink North division. It was also a third win this season for Greg Leland’s squad at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre.
It was a wild first period as a total of four goals were scored, two on each side. The Tigers took the lead twice, but the Rapids quickly responded on each occasion.
Tyler Pazin got the visitors on the board at 1:05 of the opening frame as he was left alone by the side of the net, scoring his 12th of the season. However, only 9 seconds later, Tate Brenner tied the score following a miscue by the Tigers’ goalkeeper. It was Brenner’s first tally of the game his and 3rd of the season.
Newly acquired by the Tigers, William Schofield put Campbellton in the lead again at 7:57 with a wrister from the slot, beating Rapids’ netminder Adam Lecours. But once again, Grand Falls responded quickly when Ethan Johnson took a rebound in front of the net, scoring his first of the contest at 8:23 to bring the game even at 2-2.
It was the Rapids who took control of the second period, scoring twice to take a 4-2 lead.
Tate Brenner added his second of the game at 9:27 as he was able to tip a pass into the top corner of the net. Then at 15:57, Colin Parker sent a wrist shot past Tigers’ goalie Dekon Randall-Snow, a former pick of the Rapids in the MHL draft. It was Parker’s 5th goal of the season as Grand Falls held a 4-2 lead after two periods of play.
The Rapids added three unanswered goals in the final frame to put the game out of hand for the Tigers. Ethan Johnson made it 5-2 at 10:09 by sending a backhand shot into the back of the net while on a breakaway. Then at 12:59, Nicholas Brennan scored his 4th of the season with a shot into the top corner. Jonah Leard added the Rapids’ 7th goal at 15:16 on a tip in front of the net.
Luke Thorne would score on a power play for Campbellton with less than three minutes remaining, bringing the final score to 7-3.
The final tally in shots on goal was 44 to 28 in favour of the Rapids who will return to action on Wednesday night on home ice against the Edmundston Blizzard (7 pm).
GAME NOTES:
*Five Rapids’ players finished the game with 2 points or more: Tate Brenner (2g 1a), Marcellus Francis (3a), Ethan Johnson (2g), Nicholas Brennan (1g 1a), Colin Parker (1g 1a).
William Schofield and Tyler Pazin had identical records of 1g 1a for Campbellton.
*The Tigers scored two power play goals on 6 opportunities with the man advantage. The Rapids did not score on one PP opportunity.
*Game attendance: 783
*Three stars of the game: 1- Tate Brenner (GFR); 2- Ethan Johnson (GFR); 3- Raphael Denis (GFR)
Patrick Thibault
Scoring
1st
1:05 CAM Tyler Pazin (12) ASST: William Schofield (10), Mathis Guevin (8)
1:14 GFR Tate Brenner (3) ASST: Marcellus Francis (2)
7:57 CAM William Schofield (3) ASST: Tyler Pazin (8), Justin David (17) (PP)
8:23 GFR Ethan Johnson (5) ASST: Jeremy Boulanger (16), Dominic LeBlanc (7)
2nd
9:27 GFR Tate Brenner (4) ASST: Nicholas Brennan (6), Marcellus Francis (3)
15:57 GFR Colin Parker (5) ASST: Raphael Denis (4)
3rd
10:09 GFR Ethan Johnson (6) ASST: Raphael Denis (5)
12:59 GFR Nicholas Brennan (4) ASST: Marcellus Francis (4), Tate Brenner (5)
15:16 GFR Jonah Leard (3) ASST: Will Morrison (4), Colin Parker (3)
17:27 CAM Luke Thorne (4) ASST: None (PP)