Blizzard almost perfect! 6-1 win in Woodstock

WOODSTOCK, New Brunswick – There are those games where the constant effort of everyone makes all the difference. The Edmundston Blizzard played an almost perfect game tonight (Friday, November 3^rd) to easily beat the Woodstock Slammers 6-1 in front of 725 spectators gathered at the AYR Motor Centre in Woodstock.

Tonight, it was rookie night! Liam Leonard and Pierre Bourgoin had an exceptional game, scoring two goals each. Leonard even added a pass to complete his evening. Not surprisingly, Leonard and Bourgoin were chosen first and second star respectively.

Alexandre Jacob (3^rd star) and Nolan Alward scored the Blizzard’s other goals as the team increased its lead on top of the EastLink North Division of the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL). Ryan Salvis’s squad have 12 wins and 3 losses for 24 points, nine more than the St. Stephen Aces it faces tomorrow at 7 pm in the southwestern New Brunswick town.

The only downside of the Blizzard work tonight: it conceded many power plays to the opponent. It is during a man advantage that the Slammers got on board when they scored at 10:21 of the third period on a play by Jarrod Isley who took his own rebound to beat Francis Asselin who had up to then a strong performance between the pipes for the Blizzard.

The evening was also tough for the Blizzard who started the game with 20 players, including both goalies, to end up with 14 guys in the line-up. Frédéric Beauchesne-Dubuc and Patrick Pellerin left the game due to fighting. Vincent Rioux had a lower body injury during the second period and it is unsure he will be O.K. to face the St. Stephen Aces on Saturday. Logan Johnston did not return after the second period because he felt sick during the intermission.

QUICK NOTES – The Blizzard outshot the Slammers 34-20… Edmundston scored twice in each period… The Blizzard was ahead 4-0 when the Slammers scored mid-way through the third period… Maxime Grandmaison, with two assists, is another young horse who had a brilliant performance… Liam Leonard’s goal in the second period was amazing. He scored his league-leading third shorthanded goal of the campaign.. Pierre Bourgoin was literally flying on the ice. He scored his first two goals of the season in his fifth game. He seems completely recovered from his concussion. His parents, Mike and Irene, witnessed the two goals in Woodstock.

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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone