Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

The Maineiacs posted a 2-1 win in front of 1,816 fans at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Me., Tuesday, in Game 3 of the best-of-seven affair.

Cape Breton now leads 2-1 in games, with Game 4 slated for tonight at 8 p.m. ADT.
The Maineiacs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, which was all the offence they needed to clinch the victory.

Kevin Marshall netted his first of the playoffs at 14:19, while Stefan Chaput scored his second of the post-season at 18:18 which stood up to be the winner. Danick Paquette assisted on both Maineiacs goals.

“The first period, they jumped on us. There was a lot of forechecking, really,” said Screaming Eagles head coach and general manager Pascal Vincent.

“But it was two broken plays, the two goals against, just little things.”

“But that’s what playoffs is all about. It was a great hockey game. Lots of intensity, up and down.”

Dean Ouellet put home his second goal of the playoffs at 1:18 of the second, scoring on the power play from Jordan Clendenning and Chris Culligan.

Cape Breton, however, failed to register the tying goal in the remainder of the second and the third frame, thanks in part to a 36-save performance by Maineiacs goaltender Jonathan Bernier.

“Bernier was outstanding – that’s the story,” said Vincent.

“In the second and the third period, if Bernier’s not there, we won the game. We had 11 shots against four in the third and had great scoring chances.”

At the opposite end of the ice, Olivier Roy deflected 26 shots, suffering the first playoff loss of his young career.

Cape Breton continued to have their chances on the power play, but didn’t have the same efficiency they boasted in the opening two games at Centre 200.

The Screaming Eagles were 1-for-7 with the man advantage, while the Maineiacs were 0-for-5.

“We’re facing one of the best (penalty kills) in the league and your best penalty killer has to be your goalie and he’s one of the best in Canada,” Vincent said of Bernier. “I think he’s just been better.”

Game 5 of the series will be played Friday in Lewiston at 8 p.m. ADT.

The series returns to Cape Breton, if necessary, for Game 6 Monday and Game 7 Tuesday, both with 7 p.m. starts.

NOTES: Eagles forward Vincent Lavigueur and Glace Bay’s Marc Bourgeois of the Maineiacs dropped the gloves in the first and also received 10-minute misconducts for their jerseys coming off . . . Joey Haddad’s point streak against the Maineiacs ended at four games in the loss . . . Call-up goaltender Melvin Day, who is replacing the injured Marek Benda, had to take a bus to Lewiston Sunday because he didn’t have a passport. The rest of the team took a chartered flight to Bangor, Me., Monday morning.

tjcolello@cbpost.com

Photo – www.ronssportsphotography.com