AMHERST, N.S. – All is said and done for the standings of the Eastlink North division of the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) after weekend games. The Blizzard defeated the Amherst Ramblers 5-2 on Sunday in Nova Scotia and will have to settle for 4th place in the division, which means a first-round playoff matchup against the Summerside Western Capitals.
It was the last game of the season for the Blizzard, which finished with a record of 21-11-1-4 for 47 points.
Tristan Therrien scored a hat trick (18th, 19th and 20th in an empty net), Alex Savoie (8th) and Jacob Long (3rd) beat goaltender Josh Ward. Owen Cole (5th) and Malcolm Genge (2nd) scored against Raphaël Audet. Therrien has chosen his last junior game in two seasons in the MHL to register his only hat trick.
Both teams fired 36 shots each. Therrien (1st), Austin Paul (2nd with 2 assists) and Cole (3rd) earned the game’s stars.
By winning Sunday afternoon against Grand Falls, the Red Wings are guaranteed third place even if they are currently one point behind the Blizzard. Fredericton totals 46 points and Edmundston 47. But it is the winning percentage that is being considered to decide rankings between the teams due to the inequality of the games caused by a schedule turned upside down by the pandemic. The Red Wings are .657 and the Blizzard’s .635. Even with a loss tomorrow in Yarmouth, Fredericton would have a .639 save percentage.
The MHL teams that will face each other in the playoffs will discuss in the coming hours to determine the playoff schedule. In the case of the Blizzard, the series against the Western Capitals will begin in Summerside.
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Photo
Tristan Therrien scored a hat trick on Sunday to lead the Blizzard in scoring with 20 goals and 29 assists for 49 points. Photo archives Percy Picard
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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone