Massé and Caley lead the way

EDMUNDSTON, New Brunswick – It was Carl-Anthony Massé’s night on Thursday at the Jean-Daigle Centre. He took charge of the Edmundston Blizzard’s offense, scoring all three goals in a 3-0 win over the Grand Falls Rapids.

The Rivière-du-Loup forward has been on fire for his team’s last five games. He has scored a goal in each of these games, for a total of eight goals and five assists during this great sequence.

Despite facing just 19 shots from the Rapids, goaltender Austin Caley was spectacular at times, earning his second shutout of the season, his first since being traded to the Blizzard. For the 19-year-old Texas goaltender, it was his fourth win in four outings in front of the Blizzard cage. He lowered his goals-against average to 1.92, by far the best in the MHL.

Thursday night’s game wasn’t the most exciting in terms of spectacle, as the Rapids played a hermetic style that deprived the Blizzard’s number one line of any offensive production. The most impressive thing about Massé was that he got an assist from a different defenseman for each of his three goals: Raphaël Denis, Alexis Chénard and Zachary Lessard. Forward William Labranche also picked up an assist on Massé’s first-period goal.

Had it not been for the brilliance of Rapids goalkeeper Adam Lecours who faced 46 shots, the Blizzard could have taken a comfortable lead in the second period. The score was 1-0 after 40 minutes of play. It wasn’t until 8:54 and 17:45 of the third period that Massé pulled the trigger again.

Stars of the game went to Massé (1st), Caley (2nd) and Lecours (3rd).

Blizzard has won all seven games against the Rapids this season, the last two of which were shutouts.

Two more games await the Blizzard (34-6-1-1) this weekend. On Saturday at 7:30 p.m., they host the West Kent Steamers (22-11-4-1). The following day, they travel to Restigouche to take on the Campbellton Tigers (22-14-4-1) at 3 p.m.

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Photo
Carl-Anthony Massé reacts to his first goal in the first period. Massé scored his 17th, 18th and 19th goals of the season. Photo Percy Picard

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Source: Hugues Chiasson, communications co-ordinator – Edmundston Blizzard – 506 740-0623 – (cell.)