YARMOUTH, Nova Scotia – After a near-perfect 55-minute run, the Edmundston Blizzard saw the Yarmouth Mariners get insistent late in the third period as they netted back-to-back goals to give Edmundston a cold sweat. The Blizzard got the last word on Saturday night, however, with a 4-3 win at Mariners Centre in Yarmouth.
First star of the game, Olivier Coulombe increased his point scoring streak to 25 with another fine harvest of a goal and two assists. Alex Arsenault (3rd star) scored the winning goal at 8:58 of the third in addition to collecting an assist. Jérémy Duguay and Evan Gass completed the scoring for the Blizzard (26-12-0-1) which defeated the best team in the Maritime Hockey League. The Mariners (29-8-1-0) suffered their first setback after 12 straight wins.
Reid Voss (2nd star), twice, and Franco Canevari scored for the hosts.
With a three-goal lead (4-1), the Blizzard showed undiscipline plays towards the end and Yarmouth took the opportunity to score two powerplay goals, at 15:31 and 18:13.
Goaltender Samuel LeBlanc had an excellent game and is not to blame for the three goals he allowed on 36 shots. LeBlanc won a fifth consecutive game in front of the Blizzard cage. His opposite Joey Lovullo also received 36 shots.
The Blizzard triumphed for the fourth consecutive time at the Mariners Centre. Excluding the suspended game against the Western Capitals in Summerside on January 28, the Blizzard is on an exceptional streak of 20 wins and 2 losses.
Edmundston is getting back home for the next four games. First meeting, Sunday, February 12 (3 p.m.) against the Fredericton Red Wings.
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Photo
Olivier Coulombe was involved in three of the Blizzard’s four goal on Saturday night in Yarmouth. (Photo archives Percy Picard)
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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone