KEY GAME LAST NIGHT
Find out if the Screaming Eagles squared their series against the Voltigeurs at Centre 200.
The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles are on the brink of elimination, thanks in part to Drummondville Voltigeurs defenceman Jarrett Baker of Black Rock.
Baker scored the winner in the second period as the Voltigeurs defeated the Screaming Eagles 4-1 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action Wednesday at Centre 200. Drummondville leads the bestof-seven series 3-1, with Game 5 tonight in Sydney at 7 p.m.
Baker ripped home a point shot through a screen in front of 2,621 fans at Centre 200, including a small contingent of supporters dressed in Voltigeur red.
“They’re a hard-working team and we have to match that,” said the 17-year-old Baker, named the game’s first star. “I think we did a pretty good job, but there’s room to improve.”
The Voltigeurs opened the scoring in the first on a Cédric Desruisseaux tally, his second of the playoffs. Following Baker’s goal in the second, Nicolas Beaudin added to the lead with a power-play point shot of his own in the third.
“You look at the chances and the shot count, too, it was a tight game,” said Cape Breton head coach and general manager Marc-André Dumont. “I really liked the way we started. I think we were on our toes and we put them on their heels. I like their resiliency. The guys never gave up and that’s our identity.”
The Screaming Eagles got on the board in the third, when Declan Smith ripped home a rolling puck near the hash marks. The goal energized the home team, as they fought to tie the game over the second half of the third.
The home side pulled goaltender Kevin Mandolese with 3:50 to go in the game and pressured in the Voltigeurs’ zone but couldn’t capitalize. Nashville Predators prospect Pavel Koltygin found the empty net for Drummondville to seal the deal with 2:16 remaining.
In goal, Olivier Rodrigue turned aside 23 shots to pick up the win, while Mandolese made
21 stops in the loss.
“They’re a good team, but I think we created a lot of chances, we just couldn’t bury (them),” said Mandolese, who has started all four games in these playoffs. “We’ll come back strong (tonight) and put more goals on the scoreboard.”
If necessary, the series will shift to Drummondville for Game 6 on Sunday and Game 7 on Tuesday.