Screaming Eagles drop Game 1 of playoff series with Voltigeurs

The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles couldn’t overcome an early lead by the Drummondville Voltigeurs, losing 5-2 at Centre Marcel Dionne in Drummondville, Que., on Friday.

With the loss, the Screaming Eagles trail the best-of-seven Quebec Major Junior Hockey League first round playoff series with the Voltigeurs 1-0.

Jarrett Baker of Black Rock, Victoria County, helped Drummondville in the win, posting two assists to go along with a plus-4 rating and five hits.

Drummondville opened the scoring just past the three-minute mark of the first period with Nashville Predators prospect Pavel Koltygin beating Screaming Eagles netminder Kevin Mandolese.

Later in the period, the Voltigeurs extended their lead with goals by Nicolas Guay and Dawson Mercer, giving the hometown team a 3-0 lead. The Screaming Eagles would respond before the end of the frame with Peyton Hoyt’s first of the playoffs.

Cape Breton cut the Drummondville lead to one early in the second period with defenceman Adam McCormick finding the back of the net. However, the Voltigeurs regained the two-goal lead with Daven Castonguay adding an insurance goal late in the middle stanza.

Yvan Mongo secured the win for the Voltigeurs, scoring his first goal of the playoffs on the power play at the 16:59 mark of the third period.

Olivier Rodrigue made 15 saves for Drummondville. Mandolese stopped 27 of 32 shots for Cape Breton.

The Voltigeurs outshot the Screaming Eagles 32-17.

Cape Breton went 0-for-2 on the power play while Drummondville went 1-for-4.

Game 2 of the series will take place tonight at 8 p.m. at the Centre Marcel Dionne in Drummondville, before the series shifts to Centre 200 in Sydney for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Wednesday at 7 p.m., respectively.