The Eastlink North have finished the Eastern Canada Cup in Trenton, ON on a high note, beating the NOJHL West 5-1 on Wednesday. The win places the team fourth in their group, tied in points with the QJHL Perron team. The North went 1-1-2 for the tournament, dropping their first two games in shootouts.
Rapids’ forward Dominic LeBlanc opened the scoring for the North on the powerplay at 3:03 of the 1st period, with assists from the Red Wings’ Cam Thomson. Another powerplay goal at 16:02 by Campbellton’s Justin David doubled the lead. Assists on the goal went to Miramichi’s Travis Badcock and Fredericton’s Manix Sarrasin. Before the end of the period, with just 18 seconds left, West Kent’s Bennett Kuhnlein made it a 3-0 lead for the North, with assists going to LeBlanc and Steamers teammate Beren Simard.
Fredericton’s Sam MacFarlane made it a 4-0 lead just 33 seconds into the 2nd period, with an assist going to the Timberwolves’ Will Allen. Sarrasin scored the team’s third powerplay goal of the game at 5:03, with assists to Badcock and Miramichi’s Ludovic Dufort. The NOJHL got on the board at 10:50, breaking the shutout bid by the Rapids’ Adam Lecours who made 17 saves for the victory.
For the tournament, Will Allen had the most goals with two and was one of four players that had a team-best three points. Campbellton’s Justin David, Grand Falls’ Dominic LeBlanc, and Fredericton’s Manix Sarrasin each had one goal and two assists in the four games.