‘It was strange’: Mariners coach on melee outcome
Penalties, non-call among factors in weekend game
The 17:17 mark of the second period of the Yarmouth Mariners game versus the Edmundston Blizzard turned out to be a turning point of the Nov. 2 game, although it was also what happened a few seconds before — or perhaps, what didn’t happen — that also played a factor.
The Blizzard were ahead 5-3 when they were given a fiveminute 5-on-3 power-play advantage following a melee on the ice. During that power-play advantage the visiting team scored twice, widening the gap to 7-3.
Yarmouth would score twice more in the third period, both times on the PP, but the Blizzard scored on Yarmouth’s empty net in the final minute of play giving the visitors the 8-5 win.
“Disappointing, I thought we had two good teams battling hard and then ...” head coach Laurie Barron said after the game, not completing the sentence, but adding, “I never say that an official dictates a game, but it just made the game real tough.”
Seconds before the 17:17 mark there was a hit on a Yarmouth player on the boards by an Edmundston player. Many people — Mariners players especially — viewed it as a bad hit, but there was no call on the play. Barron described it as a “dangerous hit” that he felt should have at the very least been a boarding call. There had been calls on lesser plays during the game leading up to that.
Within seconds of the hit is when things erupted on the ice as some Mariners players reacted as the play continued. By the time the dust had settled, even Edmundston’s goalie Ewan MacDonald was among those sent to the dressing room.
The penalties included:
EDM: Isaac Chapman, Roughing after the whistle Minor, 2 min
EDM: Chrystopher Collin, Unsportsmanlike Conduct Minor, 2 min; Gross Misconduct, 10 min
EDM: Ewan MacDonald, Goaltender Leaving The Crease — Minor, 2 min; Ewan MacDonald, 3rd Man In — Game Misconduct, 10 min.
Yarmouth Mariner Matt Barron played his 200th and 201st games with the Mariners this past weekend.
YAR: Brady Crossley, Instigator Minor 2 min; Fighting major (served by Nathan MacMillan) 5 min PP; Fighting
Yarmouth Mariner Ryan Semple and Edmundston Blizzard player Justin Lush position themselves near the Blizzard's net during a Nov. 2 contest.
TINA COMEAU
Game Misconduct — Game Misconduct, 10 min
YAR: Nash Wood, Roughing Minor, 2 min; Blow to the
head (served by Caleb Garet) Match, 5 min PP
Barron said after the game he was somewhat surprised that given all that had transpired on the ice by players from both teams that Yarmouth would have received a five-minute 5-on-3 disadvantage.
“It was strange,” he said.
The league handed out a three-game suspension to Collin from the Blizzard and also a three-game suspension to Wood from the Mariners following the game.
About the Nov. 2 game in general, Barron also said the Mariners had allowed themselves to get pushed around earlier in the game for eight to 10 minute, which also cost the team, he said, as they had fallen behind on the scoreboard.
“Obviously we were chasing the game after that, 4-2 and then 5-2 and we got back to 5-3,” he said.
The previous evening the Mariners had a 5-3 win over the Valley Wildcats. About that performance, Barron said: “I thought we were real good for the first two periods. I thought we had good jump and we were good in the D-zone. Liked a lot of stuff we did. Thought we might have gone to sleep in the third and kind of let them back in, but for 40 minutes I thought we did quite good.”
This week the Mariners travel to Amherst on Wednesday and then host Amherst on Friday and host Grand Falls on Saturday. The Mariners remain in second place in the Eastlink South Division, four points behind South Shore and six points ahead of Amherst.
About the season overall to date, Barron said after Saturday’s game, “I’m pleased. We’ve got a good team. A little bump in the road tonight, but to be in second place and be in every game, all in all I’m pleased.”