Lalonde nets winner in Screaming Eagles, Remparts playoff thriller

Lalonde nets winner in Screaming Eagles, Remparts playoff thriller
     
             Game four tonight, Game five Friday

By Jeremy Fraser
April 2, 2015

Bradley Lalonde fired home the game winner as the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles defeated the Quebec Remparts 6-5 in game three of the best-of-seven QMJHL playoff series at Centre 200 Tuesday.

With the win, the Screaming Eagles lead the series 2-1.

Lalonde played an outstanding game for the Screaming Eagles, said Loïk Léveillé, Screaming Eagles defenceman.

"Brad had a solid game from start to finish. Scoring the game-winning goal capped off a great night."

He's a key piece to the team this season and for years to come, he said.

"He's only in his second season. Just think what he's going to do when he's an older veteran."

The Screaming Eagles opened the scoring as Clark Bishop's shot from the slot found the back of the net for his first goal of the playoffs at 7:01 of the first period. Cape Breton took a 2-0 lead as Léveillé's point shot beat a screened Callum Booth at 17:06 of the opening frame.

In the second period, Hinds extended the Screaming Eagles lead as he scored his first goal of the playoffs on a shorthanded breakaway at 2:07. Cape Breton made the score 4-0 as Pierre-Luc Dubois netted his first goal of the playoffs on the power play, ending Booth's night at 3:35 of the middle frame.

In the third period, Quebec cut the Screaming Eagles lead on the power play as Jérome Verrier buried his first goal of the playoffs at 3:22 of the third period.

Cape Breton regained the four-goal lead as Léveillé's shot fooled Zachary Fucale for his second goal of the game, second of the playoffs, at 4:43 of the final stanza.

The Remparts would storm back to tie the game with goals from Guillaume Gauthier at 7:26, Ryan Graves at 8:15, Adam Erne at 8:55, and Raphaël Maheux at 11:58.

Lalonde would fire a rocket beating Fucale at 15:39 to secure the victory for the Screaming Eagles.

Although the team allowed Quebec to get back into the game, Kyle Farrell thought the team played well.

"Overall we had a good game, but we can't let a team like them back into the game."

"We will take the win and move on to the next game on Thursday."

Bélanger made 26 saves before being replaced by Miguel Sullivan, who stopped all five shots he faced in his 8:02 of relief. Sullivan picked up the win in goal for Cape Breton.

Booth turned aside six of 10 shots before being replaced by Fucale, who stopped 17 of 19 shots in his 35:15 of relief. Fucale was tagged with the loss, his record falls to 0-1-0-0.

Game four of the series takes place tonight, Thursday, at 7 p.m. at Centre 200. Meanwhile, game five of the series is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, at 7 p.m., also at Centre 200.