Going to Game 7
Screaming Eagles fans Shauna MacMullin, from left, and Edie and Bob Cerovich of Glace Bay show their team pride at Centre 200 on Monday. Cape Breton lost Game 6 of its opening-round playoff series to the visiting Gatineau Olympiques by a score of 5-1, forcing the seventh and deciding game tonight at Centre 200 in Sydney.
The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and Gatineau Olympiques are headed to Game 7.
Mitchell Balmas of Sydney led the Gatineau attack with a hat trick in a 5-1 win over Cape Breton in Game 6 of their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League opening-round series on Monday at Centre 200. The seventh and deciding game goes tonight in Sydney, another 7 p.m. start.
The Screaming Eagles held a commanding 3-0 lead in the series, but the Olympiques have stormed back and forced a winner-takes-all scenario. Balmas netted three-unanswered insurance goals in the victory, scoring in the second period and netting a pair in the third.
“When we went down 3-0, we were still positive. We still believed in the team that we could do it,” said Balmas, a leftwinger
playing in his 18-yearold season. “We took it game by game and now it’s a 3-3 series, with winner take all (tonight).”
The Screaming Eagles fell behind in the first period after a pair of goals by Zack MacEwen, who hit the back of the net 26 seconds apart. Yannik Bertrand scored for Cape Breton to cut into the lead and give the home side a much-needed boost.
The Screaming Eagles seemed to have tied things up after Drake Batherson found the back of the net on the power play, but after a lengthy review, the goal was disallowed due to goalie interference.
“It would have been a 2-2 if that counted and I think it was a huge momentum swing,” said Batherson. “If that happens (tonight), we have to be ready for that and go 100 per cent all the time.”
In the final frame, Balmas completed the hat trick, scoring a pair of goals in the
slot. His third came on a 5-on-3 power play.
“Being able to contribute in a big game like Game 6 is always a big thing to help the team out,” said Balmas.
Screaming Eagles head coach Marc-André Dumont said there wasn’t much to keep from Monday’s setback.
“Whether you lose 2-1 or 5-1 in the playoffs, it’s a loss,” he said. “Right now, it’s a situation where we earned three wins, they earned three and it’s going to come down to what happens (tonight).”
In goal, Tristan Bérubé made 28 stops in the win, while Kyle Jessiman deflected 27 shots in the loss.
NOTE: The disallowed goal in the second was the third of the series for Cape Breton. Dumont said he would review video of the play “to understand exactly where the interference was.”