Eagles Fall 7-4 to Titan in Bathurst

October 7, 2022 – Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – Cape Breton Eagles News Release

The Cape Breton Eagles started fast but saw the game slip away in a 7-4 loss to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Friday night in New Brunswick.

The Eagles had the jump early in the game, including multiple chances for Charles Boutin as they outshot the Titan 3-0 in the early going. But the rest of the period belonged to the home side.

First, it was newly named Titan captain Cole Larkin hitting the scoresheet as the defenseman jumped into the play to convert a cross ice pass from Jacob Melanson to make the score 1-0. Before the halfway mark of the period, it was 2-0 when Noah Ryan finished a pass from behind the net from Joseph Henneberry. Trailing by a pair of goals, the news was worse for the Eagles when captain Jérémy Langlois left the game with injury and did not return.

The Eagles did get on the board before the five minute mark of the middle stanza on the power play- Charles Boutin tipped in a pass from the point from Ivan Ivan to make it 2-1. (It was the first of three assists on the night for Ivan.) However, Ben Allison countered with a nifty deke on a breakaway to beat Eagles goaltender Gio DiMattia who was making his first appearance in nets in the QMJHL. Bathurst further padded the lead with a power play marker when Joseph Henneberry scored with a shot through heavy traffic.

In the final minute of the period the Eagles were given an opportunity to get back into the game as Bathurst’s Blake Pilgrim-Edwards was sent off for four minutes for high sticking. But it was the Titan who cashed in, Jacob Melanson scoring as he converted as a pass on a 2 on 0 from Riley Kidney.

The period finished with a 5-1 score and the Eagles couldn’t capitalise on the balance of the man advantage. There was some deja vu in the early portion of the period as Melanson once again finished a Kidney pass to make the score 6-1.

There would be some pushback from the visitors though. Cam Squires sent a pass from behind the net to Luke Patterson and he finished to make it 6-2. Then, WIlliam Shields received a pass from Samuel Johnson and ripped his first career goal over Bathurst netminder Jan Bednar.

Bathurst looked to restore the momentum on a power play as Thomas Desruisseaux was sent off for interference. However, the best chance may have gone to the Eagles short handed as Ivan Ivan came in on a breakaway on Bednar- but was denied by the Titan netminder.

Cameron MacLean would score in the final six minutes to add to the Titan lead, countered by a power play goal from Cam Squires in the last minute of play to make the score 7-4.

Bednar picked up the win, stopping 27 of 31 shots. DiMattia took the loss, stopping 42 of 49 shots.

The same two teams will do battle tomorrow night in Bathurst, and puck drop is at 7 PM. The game is available for purchase online at https://watch.chl.ca and you can also hear all the action beginning with the pre-game show with Patrick McNeil at 6:30 PM on 1270 AM CJCB or online at www.cjcbradio.com

THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1. Jacob Melanson (Bathurst) 2 goals, 1 assist, 6 shots

2. Cameron MacLean (Bathurst) 1 goal, 2 assists

3. Joseph Henneberry (Bathurst) 1 goal, 2 assists

Scratches For Cape Breton: FJ Buteau (upper body injury), Preston Pattengale, Peter Repcik

Scratches For Bathurst: Drew Maddigan (upper body injury), Peteris Bulans, Riley Pitt, Philippe Collette

Final Shots On Goal: 49-31 in favour of Bathurst

Cape Breton Power Play: 2/6

Bathurst Power Play: 1/5

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