Post by IAMCAPER on Jan 4, 2007 14:39:21 GMT -4
It’s been a tough season for Cape Breton Screaming Eagles defenceman Étienne Breton, but Wednesday’s 7-2 win over the Halifax Mooseheads at Centre 200 made things a bit brighter.
Breton scored his first Quebec Major Junior Hockey League goal on a point shot that fooled Halifax Mooseheads netminder Roger Kennedy at 4:18 of the first period to open the scoring and spark a five-goal period for his team.
The 18-year-old blue-liner has missed most of the first half with a shoulder injury and admits he still feels discomfort when shooting the puck.
“It was a good game,” said Breton, an 18-year-old from St. Patrice, Que. “I’m happy to get my first goal and I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.
“All the guys were happy for me, so it was good.”
After Breton’s marker, Cape Breton continued the onslaught in front of the 3,608 fans in attendance. J.C. Sawyer on another point shot at 5:45, followed by a strong short-handed effort by captain James Sheppard at 8:18 and a tally by Paul McIlveen at 11:53 chased Kennedy from the goal. Robert Slaney battled hard in front for another tally against replacement Mark Yetman at 16:17.
“We wanted to have a strong start and I think (David Davenport) made some key saves early in the game,” said Cape Breton Screaming Eagles head coach and general manager Pascal Vincent. “The first six shots in the game was 3-3. We had a good first period and I think that’s where we won the game.”
Both teams exchanged goals in the second period. Cam Fergus welcomed Kennedy back into the game with five-hole shot at 7:47. But Peter James Corsi broke Davenport’s shutout bid 24 seconds later.
In the third, Alder Point’s Bryce Swan made it 6-2, but Brad Gallant made good on a penalty shot to put the game even further out of reach at 13:20.
Between the irons, Davenport improved his record to 14-7-0 by making 18 stops in the victory. Kennedy suffered the loss, steering aside 28 of 34 shots. Yetman made 10 saves in his brief stint in goal.
Both teams will renew their rivalry Friday night at the Metro Centre in Halifax. The puck is slated to drop at 7 p.m.
NOTES: The win is the third straight for the Screaming Eagles…Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec is scheduled to return to Cape Breton Jan. 10, after competing for the Czech Republic at the 2007 IIHF World Junior hockey championship in Leksand-Mora, Sweden…Eighteen-year-old defenceman Collin Carwardine, who was with Cape Breton on a tryout basis, decided to return home. The 6’1”, 195-pounder played with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League and is currently playing junior ‘B’ hockey in Guelph, Ont.…Vincent had a measure of tough love for defenceman Jason Swit in the third period, sending him off to the dressing room. “Jason is physically strong and we had Culligan, Sheppard and Brannon on the ice and I wanted him to be there. Corcoran stepped up and we have team toughness. He knows that’s what we want. I’ll never ask anyone to fight, but I wanted him to be there for his teammates and he didn’t do it and I wasn’t happy about it.”
Breton scored his first Quebec Major Junior Hockey League goal on a point shot that fooled Halifax Mooseheads netminder Roger Kennedy at 4:18 of the first period to open the scoring and spark a five-goal period for his team.
The 18-year-old blue-liner has missed most of the first half with a shoulder injury and admits he still feels discomfort when shooting the puck.
“It was a good game,” said Breton, an 18-year-old from St. Patrice, Que. “I’m happy to get my first goal and I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.
“All the guys were happy for me, so it was good.”
After Breton’s marker, Cape Breton continued the onslaught in front of the 3,608 fans in attendance. J.C. Sawyer on another point shot at 5:45, followed by a strong short-handed effort by captain James Sheppard at 8:18 and a tally by Paul McIlveen at 11:53 chased Kennedy from the goal. Robert Slaney battled hard in front for another tally against replacement Mark Yetman at 16:17.
“We wanted to have a strong start and I think (David Davenport) made some key saves early in the game,” said Cape Breton Screaming Eagles head coach and general manager Pascal Vincent. “The first six shots in the game was 3-3. We had a good first period and I think that’s where we won the game.”
Both teams exchanged goals in the second period. Cam Fergus welcomed Kennedy back into the game with five-hole shot at 7:47. But Peter James Corsi broke Davenport’s shutout bid 24 seconds later.
In the third, Alder Point’s Bryce Swan made it 6-2, but Brad Gallant made good on a penalty shot to put the game even further out of reach at 13:20.
Between the irons, Davenport improved his record to 14-7-0 by making 18 stops in the victory. Kennedy suffered the loss, steering aside 28 of 34 shots. Yetman made 10 saves in his brief stint in goal.
Both teams will renew their rivalry Friday night at the Metro Centre in Halifax. The puck is slated to drop at 7 p.m.
NOTES: The win is the third straight for the Screaming Eagles…Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec is scheduled to return to Cape Breton Jan. 10, after competing for the Czech Republic at the 2007 IIHF World Junior hockey championship in Leksand-Mora, Sweden…Eighteen-year-old defenceman Collin Carwardine, who was with Cape Breton on a tryout basis, decided to return home. The 6’1”, 195-pounder played with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League and is currently playing junior ‘B’ hockey in Guelph, Ont.…Vincent had a measure of tough love for defenceman Jason Swit in the third period, sending him off to the dressing room. “Jason is physically strong and we had Culligan, Sheppard and Brannon on the ice and I wanted him to be there. Corcoran stepped up and we have team toughness. He knows that’s what we want. I’ll never ask anyone to fight, but I wanted him to be there for his teammates and he didn’t do it and I wasn’t happy about it.”