GRAND FALLS, New Brunswick – A hard-fought victory on Friday night for the Grand Falls Rapids who ended a series of nine losses against the Edmundston Blizzard.
The Rapids took advantage of a Blizzard defensive turnover to score the winning goal at 16:28 of the third period. The Rapids won 5-4 in front of a full house of 1,312 spectators at the E. & P. Sénéchal Centre in Grand Falls.
If the Blizzard dominated the 1st and 3rd periods, the Rapids can say they have completely taken control of the second frame during which they scored three unanswered goals that hurt the Blizzard.
Miguel Paré had himself a great night with a hat trick including the winning goal with just over three minutes left in the game. Dawson Wood also shone by scoring once and assisting on Paré’s three goals. Shon-Olivier scored the other goal of the Rapids (5v, 7d, 2dp).
On the Blizzard side, Félix Laniel, Paul Leroux and Chrystoper Collin scored tallied one goal and one assist each. Aaron Brown also found the back of the net for the visitors. For Laniel, it was his first two points in the MHL in his second game with the Blizzard.
Both teams finished the game with 32 shots each. Nolan Boyd (Rapids) and Ewan MacDonald (Blizzard) were the two goalies. Boyd earned his first win of the season.
The three stars went, in order, to Paré, Wood and Leroux.
Blizzard players will have a big challenge in front of them when they face the Summerside Western Capitals on Saturday night (7 pm) in Prince Edward Island. Summerside is at the top of the Eastlink North Division with 11 wins and 3 losses, four points better than the Blizzard.
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Photo
Félix Laniel had a goal and an assist on Blizzard’s first two goals in the opening period on Friday night in Grand Falls. Photo archives Digiphoto
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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone