Mathieu Blanchard scored his second goal of the season on Thursday. Photo archives Digiphoto
After winning 3-2 the day before in Truro, the Edmundston Blizzard fell to the hands of the Western Capitals Summerside by the score of 5-1 on Thursday, in front of a crowd of 1,162 gathered at Credit Union Place in the Prince Edward Island city.
The Western Capitals win (26-14-1-0) allows them to get closer to the Blizzard (29-9-3-0) in the EastLink North division rankings. The Capitals now trails by 8 points behind the league’s leading team. The Blizzard has 61 points.
Thursday evening, the top scorer of each team was not in uniform. Once would have thought that the absence of TJ Shea, the league’s best scorer with 93 points, would weigh heavily in the balance. Especially considering that Shea participated in 57 percent of all Capitals’ goals this season. But the locals have found a way out despite everything. Alexandre Jacob, of the Blizzard (13-37-50), watched the game from the stands.
The Western Capitals were outshot 43-27, but they took advantage of Blizzard’s defensive openings to score when goaltender Francis Asselin was left alone.
Summerside quickly took the lead in the second minute of the first period. And in the 13th minute of the second period, the Western Capitals were already ahead 4-0. Only Mathieu Blanchard, on a shorthanded breakaway, managed to get the puck passed star goalkeeper Dominik Tmej.
Curiously, the last three goals of the game were scored with a man short. None were scored on power plays.
Chris Chaddock, twice, Austin Taylor, Alex Hambly and Morgan MacDonald beat Asselin.
The Blizzard and Western Capitals have completed their six game-series against each other this season. The Blizzard won the first four and the Western Capitals the last two. What may worry Edmundston’s team is that Summerside won the last two meetings by a four-goal margin (4-0 on Jan. 25 and 5-1 on Thursday).
The Blizzard will play its 42nd game of the season tomorrow (Saturday) at 7:30 pm in Woodstock against the Slammers (10-24-4-2).
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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone