TIGERS DEFEAT RAPIDS IN OVERTIME

CAMPBELLTON – The Rapids came very close to bringing their winning streak to five games to start the season, but the Campbellton Tigers had other ideas, upending Grand Falls by a 4-3 score in overtime on Friday night. The game was played in front of 829 spectators at Campbellton’s Memorial Civic Centre.

Despite the loss, the Rapids gain a precious point to the standings against another divisional opponent, pushing their streak to five games with at least 1pt.

It was former Rapid Nathan Rhodes who put an end to the contest in overtime, scoring on a rebound at 2:09 following an odd-man rush.

The game was played with great pace on both sides, but it was the goaltenders who stole the show as Niko Boudreau (43 saves) and Adam Lecours (37 saves) were up to the task for their respective squads.

The first goal of the game came late in the opening period when Patrick Baxter, well positioned in front of the crease, managed to get the puck over the pads of Boudreau as Grand Falls took a 1-0 lead at 19:06.

A five-minute major penalty would prove very costly to the Rapids early in the middle frame as the Tigers took advantage by finding the back of the net on two occasions. Alex Lavoie tied the score at the 33-second mark of the period, followed by Nash Coffin’s tally at 2:18.

The Rapids tied the score 2-2 on Dereck Asselin’s 3rd of the season on a rebound in front of the net. Then with only 15 seconds remaining in the period, the Rapids won a puck battle in the corner, allowing Nathan-Plamondon-Michaud to feed a pass to Zackarie Michaud who scored his first goal as a Rapid on a wrist shot to the top corner of the net.

Grand Falls went ahead 3-2 after two periods of play.

Campbellton tied the score in the third period on a goal from Adam Véronneau at 4:24.
The Rapids had the upper hand in the shots on goal department 46 to 41.

*Nathan Rhodes (1g 1a) was named the game’s first star. Niko Boudreau and Adam Véronneau were selected respectively as the 2nd and 3rd stars.

*The Rapids went 0 for 1 on the power play while Campbellton finished the game with 2 goals on 4 PP opportunities.

*The Rapids play their next game on Sunday afternoon at the E.&P. Sénéchal Centre as they host the Chaleur Lightning at 3pm.