Eagles’ homestand continues

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles host Moncton Wildcats at Centre 200 Friday

SYDNEY - The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles will continue their five-game homestand when they host the Moncton Wildcats at Centre 200 tonight.

Game time is 7 p.m. at the Sydney venue.

The Screaming Eagles (31-151-4) enter the contest coming off a 3-2 shootout loss on home ice to the Drummondville Voltigeurs in front of 2,216 fans on Wednesday.

As for the Wildcats (26-18-34), the team last played on Saturday, losing 4-2 to the Halifax Mooseheads at the Avenir Centre in Moncton.

Cape Breton, which has already clinched a playoff spot, sits fourth in the Eastern Conference with 67 points and is 7-1-0-2 in their last 10 games.

Moncton, which has yet to secure a spot in the President Cup playoffs, has struggled in its last 10 games, posting a 2-60-2 record and sits sixth in the Eastern Conference with 59 points.

The Screaming Eagles are led offensively by Sydney native Mitchell Balmas who has 33 goals and 28 assists for 61 points, followed closely by St. Louis Blues prospect Mathias Laferrière with 22 goals and 33 assists for 55 points, and Russian Egor Sokolov with 24 goals and 21 assists for 45 points.

For the visitors, the Wildcats’ offense is powered by Jeremy McKenna with 33 goals and 42 assists for 75 points. Jakok Pelletier has 27 goals and 39 assists for 66 points and Minnesota Wild prospect Alexander Khovanov has 21 goals and 34 assists for 55 points. Following tonight’s game, the Screaming Eagles will return to action on Saturday when they finish the homestand against the Halifax Mooseheads. Game time is 7 p.m. at Centre 200.

JEREMY FRASER/CAPE BRETON POST Pavel Koltygin of the Drummondville Voltigeurs protects the puck as Egor Sokolov of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles pressures during Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at Centre 200 on Wednesday. Drummondville won the game 3-2 in a shootout. Koltygin and Maxime Comtois scored the goals for the Voltigeurs (38-10-2-0) in regulation time. Mitchell Balmas and Mathias Laferrière responded with goals for the Screaming Eagles (31-15-1-4) in front of 2,216 fans at the Sydney venue. Olivier Rodrigue made 16 saves for Drummondville. Kevin Mandolese turned aside 26 of 28 shots for Cape Breton. Drummondville outshot Cape Breton 28-18 and went 2-for-4 on the power play. The Screaming Eagles were 1-for-5 with the man-advantage.