FINAL: Cape Breton 4, Saint John 1
SAINT JOHN – Stephen Anderson is one of
the hottest players in the QMJHL at the moment.
The former Sea Dogs forward has goals in
each of his past five games and has scored in seven of his past eight. He waited until the last
minute on Sunday to net one, scoring an empty netter with 20 seconds left in
the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles’ 4-1 victory over Saint John at Harbour
Station.
Along with Anderson, Evgeny Svechnikov,
Alexandre Gosselin and Kyle Farrell scored in the Cape Breton win. Miguel
Sullivan made 23 saves to earn the victory.
Saint John’s lone goal came from Spencer
Smallman in the second period. Alex Bishop made 24 saves in the loss.
Cape Breton had three power plays in the
first period and finally cashed in on the last one. At 18:39, Marcus Hinds’
pass from the corner found Svechnikov who was streaking in. He fired a quick
wrist shot past Bishop to make it 1-0 Screaming Eagles. Shots in the opening
frame were 9-4 in favour of the visitors.
Just 50 seconds into the second period,
Gosselin fired a point shot through some traffic that beat Bishop to make it
2-0 Eagles. Later on, at 13:52, Nathan Noel sent a beautiful behind-the-back
pass to Smallman who beat Sullivan to make it a 2-1 game. Shots in the second
stanza were 12-8 in favour of Saint John.
With 2:30 left in regulation time,
Svechnikov was called for holding to send Saint John to the power play. On that
man advantage, Thomas Chabot fed Mathieu Joseph who nearly jammed the puck past
Sullivan. The scoring chance was reviewed by officials but called no goal. At
19:04 and Bishop on the bench, Farrell hit the empty net to make it 3-1.
Anderson added another with 20 seconds left to make it a 4-1 final. Shots in
the third were 12-9 Cape Breton and 29-25 Eagles overall.
