In what could safely be considered the most exciting game of the season to date from C200, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles used a wild comeback to erase a 4-2 third period deficit and score a 5-4 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan to sweep the weekend series in front of approximately 3600 loud and boisterous fans.
In the most dramatic finish yet this season, hats rained from the stands when Cam Fergus's hat trick goal tied the game with exactly 3:00 remaining on the clock, and with just 45 seconds left in regulation, captain James Sheppard came through with an awesome individual effort for the winner to send C200 fans into a state of pandemonium.
Things weren't looking good for Cape Breton in the early going. The Eagles trailed 2-0 after the first period, were being outshot 14-7 by the visitors, and in general didn't quite look like themselves. Credit has to go to the Titan, who were able to put Friday night's whipping behind them and come out very strong in Saturday night's contest despite having only 15 skaters (three Bathurst players were suspended as a result of Friday night's incidents). Bathurst also got a couple of lucky breaks in period one, as their first goal stood despite appearing to have been kicked in, and a Cape Breton goal was waved off due to a quick whistle by referee Thane Arseneault. However, perhaps it was for the better that the Eagles got those two bad breaks in period one. Without them, maybe the game is tied 1-1 after the first period, and maybe the urgency that came with the 2-0 deficit would not have been there to make the changes necessary in their game that saw them play so much better in periods two and three.
Cape Breton came out with much more jump in period two, but still trailed 3-2 at period's end, the third goal against coming as a result of the team getting into some penalty trouble. Fergus had both Eagle goals in the middle frame, his second being a bit of a milestone - his 40th goal of the season. Fergus became just the fourth Eagle to score 40 goals in a season, joining Ryan Walsh, Dominic Noel, and Kevin Asselin. Despite the fact that the Eagles were still trailing, you could feel the tide turning, and many fans were optimistic during the second intermission that the team was going to get it done in period three.
The final stanza got off to a rough start, however, as a James Sheppard hooking penalty saw Titan sniper Thomas Beauregard pot a powerplay goal to restore Bathurst's two goal advantage. The Eagles responded right away, however, as Dean Ouellet's 29th goal of the season kind of came out of nowhere to pull Cape Breton right back to within one, with plenty of time (16:17) left to notch the equalizer.
In the next ten minutes, the Eagles had two powerplays as golden opportunities to tie things up. They had many glorious chances on these powerplays, but just couldn't bury one. On the second powerplay, TWICE the puck squirted out of the zone and gave Beauregard, the league's leading scorer, shorthanded breakaways. Both times, Cape Breton goaltender Ondrej Pavelec (making his first start since returning from the WJC) came up absolutely huge, robbing the 57-goal man. Those saves would turn out to be the difference in the hockey game, as without them, it would almost certainly have been lights out for the Screaming Eagles.
Those clutch stops set the stage for Fergus's game-tying goal, and for Sheppard's dramatic winner, and as I said, C200 was absolutely rocking. It was probably the most jubilant atmosphere seen at the Nest yet this season. A real gutsy, character victory, the kind the Eagles needed to show that they were capable of pulling off after scoring so many relatively easy wins at home this year.
The top line of Ouellet-Fergus-McIlveen had a huge night, as the three members of that trio finished with four points each.
With the win, Cape Breton swept the weekend series against a very good Bathurst Titan hockey club, and improved their overall record to 30-13-2 for 62 points. They now sit six points back of the Lewiston MAINEiacs, with neither team holding any games in hand. The Eagles went into the weekend nine points back of Lewiston, so leaving the weekend six points behind is pretty good.
After the news of the big deadline trades, I am sure that quite a few curious fans checked out an Eagles game for the first time this season, and it's great that the team gave a big reason to come back with this thrilling win. Next up for Cape Breton is a four-game road trip through the Maritimes, which will feature the Eagle debut of the much-hyped Luc Bourdon. The first game of this trip (and the first game for Bourdon) will be on Friday night at PEI, and the game will be televised live on Eastlink; be sure to tune in to catch this guy's first game as a Screaming Eagle!
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6 comments:
I would just like to comment on how much support the fans showed the eagles on saturday night, the place was absoulty rocking which was great to see. It was deffintly the loudest the fans have been all season.
hope to hear you all out there next game !
What a game - what a crowd - what a WIN! Congratulations to the whole team for such a victory - it would have been difficult to pick the three stars of that game , with so many guys stepping up. Well done!
Clutch goal by Sheppard with less than 2 min to go, big league goal too. The D is still looking for his jock strap!
The two games last weekend were great, both in the performance of the team and in what they brought to the fans! Friday's game showed how they could dominate the play, stick to their plan, and keep a cool head under much pressure to retaliate. Saturday's game showed their grittiness and never give up attitude, to come from behind and take the two points, a much more exciting, albeit nerve-wracking, type of game. Fans got more than their money's worth at both these games!
There is one thing I would like to bring up though. A lot has been said about the line of Fergus, Ouellet, McIlveen (and deservedly so), and a lot has been said about Sheppard's play since being overlooked for the World Juniors. We've also been buzzing about our new acquisitions (I might add that I was very impressed with Jonathan Laberge on the weekend), and the loss of Mark Barberio. However, in all these newsworthy items, I feel another player is not getting the notice he deserves. Jean Christophe Gauthier is such a talented young player, and really should be mentionned up there with the others. I, for one, can't help but be amazed by his speed and agility whenever he takes to the ice. He gives up a little (to say the least) in height to his opponents, but boy, you'd never know it. He will go in against anyone, no matter what their size, and seems to be able to avoid most such hits himself, his speed taking him past where most other players think he will be when they start in on their check! He can carry the puck in as neatly as anyone, and is so good at the face-off, winning 16 of 21 over the weekend (going 8/8 on Saturday)! All this, and he's still only 17!
Jean-Christophe Gauthier is definitely a star of the future for the CB Screaming Eagles!
Good luck to the boys on the weekend. Four games in five days is a hard go, but the fans will be rooting for you! Welcome to Luc Bourdon, and hopefully Beau Prokopetz will be in the line up soon as well.
Go Eagles Go!!
What a fantastic weekend we just had. I mean the Screaming Eagles, the Screaming fans. This is what supporting our team is all about. It's been quite a while since I left Centre 200 in such a happy and complete feeling of satisfaction. You all did great guys, we're all very proud of you. Looking forward watching eastlink on Friday night. Go get em
WOW, These last two games were so amazing. The fans were so energetic and I must say its about time. I would just like to comment on Cb Eagles Fan's post earlier. Thank you for commenting on Jc Gauthier great performances. I totally agree with what you are saying. He has such a positive attitude and I am glad to see others noticing. Way to go Eagles, Lets get those Rockets this weekend and show what we're made of!!!!!GO EAGLES GO!!!!!!
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