Sunday, January 21, 2007

Disappointing 7-5 loss in Bathurst

The "new look" Cape Breton Screaming Eagles are now 0-2.

An adjustment period of sorts was expected as newcomers Luc Bourdon, Beau Prokopetz, and Jonathan Laberge got used to their new teammates, and vice-versa, and as the team worked out all the kinks of making changes to the lineup during the trading period. Still, that doesn't excuse a third period collapse like the one seen in last night's 7-5 loss to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Not counting the empty net goal, Cape Breton was outscored 4-2 in the final frame, and succeeded in squandering a 3-2 lead after two periods, as well as two separate two goal leads held earlier in the game.

One of the few positives to be taken from last night's contest was the play of the Chris Culligan-James Sheppard-Scott Brannon line. That line combined for three of the team's five goals, and was a combined +8 on the night. Conversely, the unit of Dean Ouellet-Cam Fergus-Paul McIlveen was held scoreless for the second game in a row, and was a ghastly -8 for the hockey game.

The new-look powerplay, with Luc Bourdon replacing McIlveen on the point on the first unit and McIlveen dropping back to PP unit #2, was 1/4 for the second night in a row.

David Davenport appeared to have a tough night in the Cape Breton crease, allowing six goals on 23 shots. Antoine Tardif picked up the win in goal for Bathurst.

The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. Culligan set up Sheppard for his 22nd goal of the season for the first goal, and Luc Bourdon made a brilliant end-to-end rush on the powerplay for his first goal as a Screaming Eagle to double the Cape Breton lead. Thomas Beaurgard of the Titan would notch his league-leading 58th of the season to cut the lead to 2-1 heading into the intermission.

Cape Breton started the second off with a bang, taking a 3-1 lead as a result of a great passing play between Scott Brannon, Sheppard, and Culligan, finished off by the latter for his first of two on the night. Dany Masse would score for the Titan to put them within striking distance at 3-2 heading into the final period.

That's when the bottom fell out for the Screaming Eagles. A pair of Martin Bartos markers gave Bathurst a 4-3 lead, and Mathieu Perreault's 31st of the season made it 5-3 Titan. Cape Breton then got goals from Robert Slaney and Culligan to tie things up at five, only to lose the game with 2:56 left on Beauregard's second of the game and 59th of the season. Charles Bergeron was hauled down on a breakaway on an empty net, and the referee awarded the Titan overager with a rare automatic goal for a 7-5 final.

With the loss, the Eagles fall to 30-15-2 on the season, nine points behind the Lewiston MAINEiacs for first in the division as a result of their win against Saint John last night, and two points behind the Moncton Wildcats for second in the East Division.

Cape Breton takes its slumping act to Moncton today for a 4:00 meeting with the Wildcats, the first of two straight games in the Hub City. These games are obviously very important to the battle in the standings between the Eagles and the Wildcats. These games are also interesting as the newly-acquired Eagle Bourdon makes his return to Moncton, and the Eagles will face former teammate Mark Barberio of the Wildcats.

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