EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick – The Edmundston Blizzard played well enough to win, but it was not enough to defeat the powerful Summerside Western Capitals who finally won 4-3 in overtime in front of 944 people at the Credit Union Place.
Maritime Junior Hockey League’s top scorer, Brodie MacArthur, snatched a strong wrist shot from one of the faceoff circle that beat goalkeeper Ewan MacDonald at 1:36 of the extra period. The Western Capitals scored on a 4-on-3 after the Blizzard took a penalty to start the 5-minute overtime period.
MacArthur had a hat trick and scored his three goals in three different ways: the first at equal strength, the second when his team was one-man short, and the last on a power play. MacArthur has 41 goals and 63 assists this season. He dominates in just about every offensive category in the league. His 104 points give him a 30-point edge over his closest pursuer. It is to wonder why he does not play in a major junior circuit.
One thing to be sure, the Blizzard does not have to blush for its performance, unlike the two bitter upsets (9-1 and 9-0) suffered recently against Summerside.
On Thursday, when the Western Capitals took a 2-0 lead halfway through the first period, it looked once again that the locals were going to a picnic. But the Blizzard has managed to climb the slope slowly and slowly. Behind 3-1 after 20 minutes, Edmundston narrowed the lead to one goal during the second period and tied the game at 3 at 12:14 of the third.
Aleck Forcier (4th), Keenan Gillis (5th) and Jean-Maxime Bond (6th) scored for the Blizzard (22-17-6-1, 51 pts). Kayden Peck got the other goal for the Capitals (37-8-1-1, 76 pts).
Ewan MacDonald faced 33 shots in front of the Blizzard cage. His opponent Dominik Tmej received 34 shots.
It was a 7th overtime game for the Blizzard this season and Edmundston only won once.
The Blizzard will get back to action on Saturday, March 2 with the visit of the Pictou County Weeks Crushers (21-17-3-4, 49 pts), a team from the Nova Scotia section that battles for a playoff spot.
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Photo
Jean-Maxime Bond scored the tying-goal with 7:46 to go in the third period. That was his 6th goal of the campaign. Photo archives Olivier Chiasson
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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone