FREDERICTON, New Brunswick – Defenseman Alexis Jacques saluted his return to the Edmundston Blizzard uniform with the winning goal at 17:55 of the third period, helping the Northwestern team defeat the Fredericton Red Wings 4-3 on Sunday afternoon in the provincial capital.
Jacques, who returned to the lineup after a second stint with the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders, unleashed a wrist shot from between the blue line and the face-off circle to beat goaltender Mavric Welk, who appeared to be screened.
After a slow start that saw the Red Wings (3-5-1-1) score two goals in the first period, the Blizzard (9-4-0-0) rallied in the second, storming the opposing net with a 26-shot effort that led to goals from Nicolas Dubé (1st, at 2:22) and Jérémy Ste-Marie (7th, at 19:11).
Dubé will long remember his first career MHL goal. He skated between the two face-off circles to beat Welk with a sharp wrist shot. The 17-year-old from Saint-Basile came close to score a second goal in the third period.
At 2-2, Justin Hébert (3rd) gave the Blizzard their first lead at 2:28 of the third period after grabbing a rebound. But the Red Wings never gave up, providing numerous efforts that forced goaltender Nicholas Sheehan to make outstanding saves. Fredericton tied the score 3-3 at 7:47 thanks to a power-play goal by Noah Standing (1st).
Other Wings scorers in the first were Manix Sarrasin (8th, at 0:59) and Landon Paul (1st, at 8:09).
The Blizzard took 43 shots to the Red Wings’ 42.
Up front, Justin Hébert found his touch. He was named the game’s first star with a goal and two assists. In the Blizzard’s last three games, the Shippagan forward has amassed eight points (1g, 7a), the same as Philippe Collette (3g, 5a), who earned the game’s third star in Fredericton with his three assists.
The Blizzard’s last three goals have been scored on the power play, which will certainly please the coaching staff.
The Blizzard will play their next three games on the road, in Campbellton (Friday, October 27 and Sunday, November 5) and Miramichi (Saturday, October 28). The next game at the Jean-Daigle Centre will be on Friday, November 10 against Miramichi.
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Photo
Justin Hébert is on a roll with eight points in his last three games. On Sunday in Fredericton, he collected a goal and two assists. (Photo archives Percy Picard)
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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone