EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick – The storm blew up in the Jean-Daigle Centre on Thursday night, when the Edmundston Blizzard literally crushed the Miramichi Timberwolves with an 8-1 victory.
With the biggest professional hockey game of the decade looming later in the evening between Canada and the United States, 2,185 fans didn’t want to miss the Blizzard-Timberwolves game.
Seven Blizzard players collected two points: Darien Thomson (8th and 9th), Jérémy D’Astous (28th and 1a), Philippe Collette (25th and 1a), William Labranche (10th and 1a), Raphaël Denis (2a), Zachary Robichaud (2a) and Zachary Lessard (2a). Alexis Chénard (2nd) and Émile Fournier (37th) rounded out the scoring for the Blizzard, who tore the opposing defense to shreds with a 48-19 domination in shots.
Not so busy but solid when tested, goaltender Austin Caley lost his shutout with 2:08 remaining in the third period when Alexis Tanguay scored his 12th goal of the campaign. For Caley, it was an 8th straight triumph in front of the Blizzard cage. He has won all his games with the Blizzard, which is reminiscent of Thomas Boucher’s 11 consecutive wins at the start of the season in 2022-2023.
Thomson (1st), Denis (2nd) and D’Astous (3rd) were chosen stars of the game.
The Blizzard took leads of 2-0 and 5-0 after the first two periods. Philippe Collette tied for the record for the most assists in a season by a Blizzard player. He and Brock McLeod (2019-2020 season) total 56.
The magic number for the Blizzard (41-5-1-1) to finish first overall in the MHL is 3, ahead of the Summerside Western Capitals (34-7-2-2) by 12 points. Summerside, however, has three games in hand.
The Timberwolves (26-17-0-3 – 55pts) missed a great opportunity to join the West-Kent Steamers (26-13-4-1 – 57pts) in second place in the Eastlink North division.
The Blizzard will be back in action on Sunday at 3 p.m. when they take on the Campbellton Tigers (23-17-4-2) in their last away game of the season. Edmundston will play the following three games at the Jean-Daigle Centre before beginning the playoffs.
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Photo
Darien Thomson scored his first two-goal game in the MHL, his 8th and 9th of the campaign. Photo Percy Picard
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Source: Hugues Chiasson, communications co-ordinator – Edmundston Blizzard – 506 740-0623 – (cell.)