The game was almost a copy and paste of Sunday’s game in Edmundston between these two teams. Same score (5-4), same goal scorer in overtime, same overtime passer (Logan Johnston) and a goal scored in overtime almost at the same time (at 1:21 Friday vs 1:11 on Sunday). What’s more, the Blizzard entered the third period with a two-goal lead (three on Sunday) and saw the Lumberjacks make another comeback to tie things up at the end of the third.
The Blizzard (26-6-3-0 = 55 pts) mathematically assured its participation in the playoffs. Edmundston needed a single point. The feat is quite remarkable with 15 games to play in the regular season.
Friday night, the Blizzard had taken the lead 3-1 after 20 minutes of play, a score that remained unchanged at the conclusion of the second period.
The Lumberjacks (22-10-2-2), first in the South Division of the MHL, came out strong in the third with two goals in an interval of 27 seconds. Just like that, it was 3-3 at 2:07. Alexandre Jacob gave the lead back (4-3) to Blizzard at 5:18. But the Lumberjacks kept attacking in the 3rd, ending up tying the score 4-4 with 1:59 remaining.
Gabriel Vanier, Kyle Ward and Logan Johnston found the back of the net during the first period. The Ward-Johnston-Jacob line completed the game with six points with all three getting a goal and an assist.
Cody Grant, Christian Tsukamoto, Matthew Paul and Mateo Short beat Francis Asselin who received 38 shots. His counterpart, MacKenzie Janes faced 34 shots. He left for five minutes due to an injury. His replacement, Conor McCollum, blocked one shot.
Now that the first test for the Blizzard in Nova Scotia ended in a win, another big challenge awaits Edmundston on Saturday when Ryan Salvis’ team plays against the Yarmouth Mariners (23-10-1-0), who trail by only one point behind the Lumberjacks in the South Division with two games in hand.
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Contact: Hugues Chiasson, vice-president communications – The Edmundston Blizzard; (506) 740-0623 – cell phone