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Lumberjacks continue to slump
Sensational goaltending at both ends of the rink kept Monday night’s NSJHL game in Sackville to six goals with the Blazers plugging another hole in the South Shore Lumberjacks attempt at clinching a playoff spot in the Fred Fox Division. The Blazers scored a 4-2 win scoring twice in the first and third periods while allowing the Lumberjacks a single goal in each of those periods.
The sensational goaltending began early in the game when Tyler Curnew was stopped stone cold directly in front of the South Shore net by Lumberjacks goalie Keegan Greencorn. Xavier Rivard then went in on a breakaway for Sackville but skated a bit too fast and ended up past Greencorn before he could begin banging away at Greencorn’s glove who had almost covered the puck up. The Blazers were applying heavy pressure when Logan Mitchell scored the first of his two goals on the game by putting a shot into the low right-hand corner of the Lumberjacks net. After that goal, Aiden Tucker missed on a break-away for the Blazers and Xavier Rivard then missed on a nice blocker save by Greencorn. The Lumberjacks after the Blazers pressure scored on a rebound as Kyle MacIntyre tied the game at 1-1 after some sloppy defence by the Blazers.
The Blazers came right back and forced Greencorn to make a great skate save off of Captain Lawson Cook. Mitchell then scored his second of the period and game after taking a brilliant pass from Owen Fitzgerald and putting it into a wide open net with Greencorn down and out. The go-ahead goal coming with only 2:54 left in the opening frame. The Blazers outshot the Lumberjacks 22-14 in the first.
The Lumberjacks came out more hungry in the second. Brandon Rideout missed an excellent scoring chance as he broke in almost on a breakaway but Blackwood in the Sackville nets stopped him cold and Andrew George skating directly behind Rideout missed a wide-open net. The Lumberjacks Tyler Lohnes went streaking in on Blackwood and hit the inside of the post before it rang off and came back into play. Before the second period concluded, the Blazers Will Meek streaked in but was denied by Greencorn. South Shore outshot the Blazers 20-13 in the middle period.
Andrew George finally tied the game at 2-2 3:57 into the third period when he picked up a rebound and drilled past Blackwood. Adam Maillet had one nice save made on him by Greencorn and then with the Blazers short-handed, both Meek and Maillet missed tremendous scoring opportunities.. Maillet went in alone and Greencorn robbed him. Maillet thought he had actually scored but the referee was right on top of the play and ruled no goal saying Greencorn had covered the puck up.
Mid-way through the third with 10:58 left, Tucker, Mitchell and Cayden Ledicotte on a superb passing play ended with Ledicotte letting a hard wrist shot go and beat Greencorn high to the right side. Mitchell with his assist completed a three point night. The Lumberjacks then ran into a pair of penalties and the Blazers Maillet on a fantastic pass from Ryland Skerry scored to make it 4-2 Blazers with 5:27 left in regulation. That was all the scoring as the Blazers moved 5 points ahead of the Lumberjacks for third place in the Fox Division while the Lumberjacks stayed 3 points ahead of the Valley Maple Leafs for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Fox. On the game, the Lumberjacks outshot the Blazers 46-45.