Hard return to reality for the Blizzard

SUMMERSIDE, Prince Edward Island – It’s crazy how the pace can change from one evening to another… The Edmundston Blizzard faced a great player in Brody MacArthur who made fun of his hosts’ defense by scoring seven points to lead the powerful Western Capitals to a 8-2 win which left no doubt, Thursday evening in the island city.

And if there is a rather misleading statistic in the game, it is the shots column. The Blizzard had 44 shots against 36 for the Western Capitals (30-5-0-1). The locals have converted most of their scoring chances.

MacArthur, the top point-getter in the MHL, added three goals and four assists to his record. He now has 74 points (33-41) in 35 games. In his career against the Blizzard, MacArthur has collected 50 points (23-27) in 20 games. Only Blizzard’s Brock McLeod previously had a seven-point game this season, by tallying three goals and four assists, on January 11 against Miramichi.

Newcomer Carson MacKinnon also had a great time for the Capitals with three goals and two assists. MacKinnon, 20, played for five seasons in the QMJHL. Kallum Muirhead (1g, 4a) and Ed McNeill put the final touch to this easy win for the Capitals who led 5-0 after 40 minutes of play, which chased starting goalie Antoine Lyonnais at the end of the second frame. Marc-Antoine Bérubé-Jalbert took over for the last period.

Small consolation for the Blizzard who saw Brock McLeod’s game streak with at least one point reach 15. Number 10 had two assists in the third period on goals from Jonathan Assayag and Jérémy Duguay. For Assayag, this was a second goal in two games since joining the team. Duguay, a Tracadie native, scored his first goal in the Blizzard uniform with only 14 seconds left on the clock.

The Blizzard (23-8-1-4) will return to the ice on Friday (7 pm) for its third game in three nights. Edmundston will visit the Campbellton Tigers (17-10-3-2).

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Photo
Brock McLeod is on fire with 35 points in his last 15 games. Photo archives Digiphoto Sports

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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone