EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick – The Yarmouth Mariners came to Edmundston with one thing in mind: to snap their three-game losing streak. And that’s what they did on Sunday afternoon at the Jean-Daigle Centre.
The Mariners (14 wins and 6 losses) defeated the Edmundston Blizzard (14 wins, 3 defeats and 2 overtime losses) 2-1 in overtime in a game where defense and goalkeeping were the focus. Forward Kyle Bergh ended the suspense at 1:24 of overtime beating Francis Asselin with a shot that was deflected in the crease.
Both teams battled hard. After a scoreless first period, the visitors took advantage of a Blizzard’s defensive mistake at 48 seconds in the second when the Blizzard were on the power play. Luc Poirier scored on a wrist shot that beat Asselin on the glove side to make it 1-0 for the Mariners. But the Blizzard answered back less than a minute later (1:40) on the same man-advantage when rookie Maxime Grandmaison scored his 8th goal of the campaign.
The Nova Scotia team led 31-27 in the shots on goal column. Leif Hertz (26 saves), for the Mariners, and Asselin (29 saves), for the Blizzard, were the goalkeepers.
Kyle Bergh (1st), Francis Asselin (2nd) and Kyle Ward (3rd) earned the stars of the game played in front of 2,319 spectators, including Premier of New Brunswick, Brian Gallant. Combined with the 2,700 who showed up at the Jean-Daigle Centre on Friday, the 5,019 spectators gathered for two hockey games on the same weekend, whatever the level of hockey, are certainly a record for an Acadian city or town.
The Blizzardmania continues next weekend when the Edmundston team hosts the Amherst Ramblers (Friday at 7:30 pm) and the Campbellton Tigers (Sunday at 3 pm). Tickets for both games are available online (www.blizzardedmundston.ca or www.wowedmundston.ca), at Edmundston Events offices or at the Edmundston Sports Pavilion during hours of operation.
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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone