The Edmundston Blizzard and Summerside Western Capitals have given all indications that their Eastlink North Division Final series will be a battle to the final horn.
Last night in Edmundston, the Blizzard charged ahead 3-0 and then held off a surge by the Caps to hold on to a 3-2 victory, tying this best of seven series up at one game each. Logan Johnston, Kyle Ward and Alexandre Jacob scored for the Blizzard, who held a 3-0 lead late in the second. Cam Robers would score in the last minute of the final stanza and Brodie MacArthur tallied seven and a half minutes into the third to get Summerside to within one before Edmundston stopped the bleeding and tied up the series. It was a change of events following Saturday’s Game 1, where the Western Capitals came from one goal down to win 5-4 on a Chris Chaddock goal with just 52 seconds remaining in regulation. That goal gave the Caps a 1-0 lead in the series and handed the Blizzard their first defeat of the postseason. This series continues with games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday in Summerside. The puck drops for both games at 7PM.
Meanwhile, Game 2 of the Eastlink South Division Final between the Yarmouth Mariners and South Shore Lumberjacks gets underway tonight at 7PM in Bridgewater. The Mariners drew first blood in the series on Saturday night with a 6-3 win at home. Logan Timmons led the way with four points, Patrick Daley scored once and added a pair of assists and Andrew Martell chipped in a goal and an assist as Yarmouth rode a four goal second period to their series opening victory. Mateo Short replied for the Lumberjacks with two goals against his former team.
Catch tonight’s game from Bridgewater – and all games of the 2018 MHL postseason – at mhl.hockeytv.com.
Will MacLaren – themhl.ca