FREDERICTON – Carter McCluskey tied the score late in the third period and added the overtime winner as the Fredericton Red Wings defeated the Grand Falls Rapids by a score of 5-4 Sunday afternoon at the Grant-Harvey Centre.
It was the Rapids season finale as they finish 6th in the Eastlink North division with a record of 15 wins, 33 losses and 4 extra time defeats for a total of 34 points.
For McCluskey, it was goals no. 46 and 47 as he captures the league’s scoring championship with 47 goals and 61 assists for 108 points.
The Rapids led the game by two goals oin two occasions but each time, the Red Wings came back to tie the score.
It was a fast-paced first period despite having only 14 shots shots on goal in total (8 for Fredericton and 6 for Grand Falls).
Only one goal was scored which occured at the 13-minute mark of the frame. Defenseman Raphaël Denis joined in the rush and sent a wrister from the slot that got by Red Wings’ netminder Yacine Chemrouk. It was goal number 6 this season for Denis and assist number 30 for Ethan Johnson.
There were only 12 seconds played into the second period when the Rapids came storming into Red Wings’ territory. Jérémy Boulanger’s shot was blocked by Chemrouk, but Nicholas Brennan put in the rebound for his 10th goal of the season.
Fredericton got on the board at 15:44 on a wrist shot from Tyson Snow that beat Rapids goalkeeper Will Hodgson.
Then Jackson Shaddick, with less than two minutes remaining in the frame, tied the score when he sent a shot to the back of the net following a cross-ice pass. It was Shaddick’s first tally of the season for Fredericton as the score was tied 2-2 after two periods of play.
The Rapids regained the lead at 6:25 of the third period. Jérémy Boulanger scored his 15th of the season as he took a rebound from the inside of the crease.
Grand Falls was able to take another two-goal lead at 7:52 following a great individual play by Ethan Johnson. Johnson’s shot was blocked, but Damian Metastasio was following the play and put the Rapids ahead by a score of 4-2.
The Red Wings cut the lead to 4-3 on a power play goal from Ethan Dollemont at 11:29.
With 24 seconds left, the Red Wings went on a 6 on 3 power play following two minor penalties assessed to the Rapids while Fredericton had pulled its goalie. Carter McCluskey scored his 46th goal of the season to tie the score while sending the game into overtime.
McCluskey would eventually score the game winner with a wrister from the slot at 43 seconds of play in extra time while his team was on the power play.
Shots on goal were 40 to 35 in favour of the Red Wings.
Fredericton scored three times on the power play in 5 PP opportunities.
GAME NOTES:
*Carter McCluskey would finish the game with a performance of 2g 2a.
Ethan Dollemont also picked up 4 points for the Red Wings with 1g 3a while Slava Melikov also contributed with 3a.
Ethan Johnson was the leading scorer for the Rapids with 3 assists.
*The Rapids were scoreless on the power play in 2 PP opportunities.
*Game attendance: 903
*Three stars of the game: 1- Carter McCluskey (FRW); 2- Ethan Dollemont (FRW); Ethan Johnson (GFR)
Patrick Thibault
Scoring
1st
13:28 GFR Raphael Denis (6) ASST: Ethan Johnson (30)
2nd
0:12 GFR Nicholas Brennan (10) ASST: None
15:44 FRW Tyson Snow (2) ASST: Carter McCluskey (58), Slava Melikov (47)
18:49 FRW Jackson Shaddick (1) ASST: Ethan Dollemont (1), Salem Johnson (23)
3rd
6:25 GFR Jeremy Boulanger (15) ASST: Ethan Johnson (31), Jonah Leard (13)
7:52 GFR Damian Metastasio (7) ASST: Ethan Johnson (32)
11:29 FRW Ethan Dollemont (1) ASST: Slava Melikov (48), Carter McCluskey (59) (PP)
19:52 FRW Carter McCluskey (46) ASST: Ethan Dollemont (2) (PP)
1st OT
0:43 FRW Carter McCluskey (47) ASST: Ethan Dollemont (3), Slava Melikov (49) (PP)