EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick – Defenseman Alexis Jacques fired a blistering shot from six meters out to give the Edmundston Blizzard a 4-3 overtime win over the Grand Falls Rapids on Friday evening at the Jean-Daigle Centre.
The Blizzard had more than five times the number of shots on goal than their opponents (51-10), and yet had all the trouble in the world to pull off the win. It wasn’t until the last minute of the third period, with the goalie pulled, that big Émile Fournier tied the game 3-3 with a great deflection.
Despite numerous injured players, the Blizzard conceded almost nothing to their opponents. The 10 shots tied for the fewest allowed in a game by the Blizzard in eight years. The only time this had happened was on February 1, 2020, when the Valley Wildcats mustered a paltry 10 shots.
However, the Rapids took a 2-0 lead on first-period power plays thanks to Jérémy D’Astous (10th and 11th), who scored each time while goaltender Frédéric Cousineau’s vision was screened.
The Blizzard scored their first goal of the night thanks to Émile Fournier, who netted his 19th of the campaign at 1:25 of the second period. It was a new record for a rookie. Alex Arsenault, with 18, was the previous holder, a mark he set in the 2019-2020 season.
Grand Falls regained a two-goal lead (3-1) at 6:09 on Jonah Leard’s 18th goal, another power-play goal. Nathan Plamondon (12th) replied at 12:42. It wasn’t until 18:56 of the third period that Emile Fournier pulled another rabbit out of his hat, forcing a fourth consecutive game requiring overtime for the Blizzard.
While the victory was hard-fought, it was the scene of two more team records, both belonging to Philippe Collette. With three assists, the Saint-Antoine captain now totals 86 in his career, eclipsing Jérémy Duguay’s mark of 85. With 136 points, he is now the Blizzard’s all-time leader, one point ahead of Logan Johnston. Collette now needs three goals to become the team’s all-time leading scorer.
Jacques (1g, 1a) earned the first star, with the second going to Fournier (2g, 1a) and the third to goalkeeper Loïc Nadeau, who put in a masterful performance rarely seen at the Jean-Daigle Centre.
The Blizzard visit the Fredericton Red Wings on Saturday afternoon (3 p.m.), looking to avenge their shootout loss in the provincial capital on December 6.
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Photo
Alexis Jacques reacts to his overtime goal on Friday, which gave the Blizzard their 24th victory. Photo Percy Picard
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Source: Hugues Chiasson, responsable des communications – Le Blizzard d’Edmundston ; 506 740-0623 – (tél. cell.)