Crunch jumps in front of Flames

Summerside explodes for six second-period goals in Game 1

The Summerside Cover-All Construction Crunch has started the Razzy’s P.E.I. Junior C Hockey League playoffs with a bang.

The Crunch broke open a scoreless game with six unanswered second-period goals en route to a 9-1 road win over the North River Flames in Game 1 of the best-of-five quarter-final series on Sunday night.

Only one point separated the two teams in the regular season, with the Flames finishing in fourth place at 11-15-2 (won-lost-overtime losses) while the Crunch was fifth at 11-16-1.

The Crunch, who will host Game 2 at the Evangeline Recreation Centre on Tuesday at 7 p.m., completed regular-season play with a 4-1 loss to the first-place Sherwood-Parkdale Metros on Friday night.

Crunch 9 Flames 1

At the APM Centre in Cornwall, Remi Arsenault’s hat trick and five-point performance from Tyler Hobbs (2-3) sparked the Crunch. Tristan Gallant (1-2), Matt MacKinnon, Brett Cheverie and James Burt added single markers while Marc-Andre Gallant, Parker LeClair and Colton Morris all had a pair of helpers.

Keirsten Steele netted North River’s lone goal in the third period.

Connor Gallant was the winning goaltender.

Metros 4 Crunch 1

At The Plex in Slemon Park, Marc Cummiskey (2), Logan Toole (1-1) and Cameron Jenkins scored for the Metros (26-2-0). Winning goaltender Blake Arsenault also chipped in with an assist. Morris netted the Crunch goal.

There was no scoring in the first period, but the Metros took a 3-1 advantage to the second period.

Other series

The other quarter-final series also began on Sunday evening, with the visiting the third-place Southside Lynx (17-10-1) trimming the sixthplace Georgetown Eagles (126-1) by a 13-3 score at the Gateway Arena in Borden-Carleton. No other information was available at deadline time.

The Metros and secondplace Tignish Perry’s Construction Aces (18-8-2) have first-round byes.