MIRAMICHI, New Brunswick – Brock McLeod rose to the occasion tonight in Miramichi. The forward scored his first two goals of the campaign and added an assist on the insurance goal when he led the Edmundston Blizzard to a 4-2 triumph over the Miramichi Timberwolves.
This victory allowed the Blizzard (3w, 1l) to take sole position of the first place in the Eastlink North Division of the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. Edmudston is two points behind the Yarmouth (4w, 1l) who played one more game.
McLeod broke a 1-1 tie in the second period by scoring two goals in 39 seconds on the power play. He first found the back of the net at 9:14 when the Blizzard was playing with a two-man advantage. Then, at 9:53, he made it 3-1 Blizzard on a one-man power play.
Edmundston was quick to take the lead when Paul Leroux scored his first MHL goal on a 2-on-1 rush at the 22ndsecond of play. He made the right decision by choosing to shoot. Defenseman Christian Tsao, who was at his first shift in the league, was credited with the assist.
The second period ended with a 3-2 lead in favor of the Blizzard. Timberwolves Charles-André Cyphiot previously beat goaltender Antoine Lyonnais, at 18:19.
Alex Arsenault scored Blizzard’s 4th goal at 9:00 of the third. Walker Campbell scored Miramichi’s other goal.
Both teams shot 36 times each. Lyonnais was better than his counterpart Olivier Charbonneau.
Brock McLeod was named the first star of the game, the second going to his teammate Chad Wilson (2 helpers), and the third to Jason Imbeault, of the Timberwolves (1 assist).
The Blizzard’s power play unit woke up. Emery Olauson’s squad scored three goals in eight attempts. They were 1 in 13 after the first three games.
There were many scuffles during the game. Two fights broke out in the second frame and the game ended with a total of 126 penalty minutes. The Blizzard spent 42 minutes in the penalty box and the Timberwolves twice more (84).
The Blizzard will end September with two meetings in Nova Scotia next Friday in Berwick against the Valley Wildcats and the next day in Amherst agains the Ramblers.
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Photo
Brock McLeod had a three-point night in Miramichi. (Photo archives Digiphoto)
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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, Edmundston Blizzard vice-president communications; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone