Moncton Stays Undefeated

Lewiston, Me– The Maineiacs had a full team for the first time this season but it didn’t help them as the Moncton Wildcats defeated the Maineiacs 3-0. It was the Nicola Riopel show as he stopped all 28 shot the Maineiacs put on net. Lewiston got Danick Paquette back but didn’t last long. He got called for kneeing and had a fight that were just seconds apart. He got a game misconduct just 8:26 into the game. The 1st overall pick, Brandon Gormley, got his first career goal for the Wildcats.

The game started off to a slow start. It took almost six and a half minutes before a shot was recorded on net. Danick Paquette made an impact early on as he laid out a Moncton player and then he got up and dropped the gloves with David Savard. Paquette won the bout with a takedown. In addition to the five minute major for fighting, Paquette received another five minute major for kneeing on the open ice hit and a game misconduct. Dennis Savard got an additional two minutes and a game misconduct.

The teams would play four on four for a while. The Maineiacs went on a 4 on 3 powerplay when Paul Dimitruk went to the box. Lewiston couldn’t get anything going and they also killed off the rest of Paquette’s five minutes.

Lewiston had a five on three powerplay when Moncton got called for too many men on the ice and Nicola Riopel was called for a penalty. They had their chances on the powerplay but couldn’t convert. Michael Chaput had a great chance but Riopel was there to make the save.

It took a while for the Moncton Wildcats to get going. They had a couple of chances but Lewiston’s penalty kill was able to do the job. Moncton’s best chance was when the puck was thrown on net and almost fooled Peter Delmas.

The Maineiacs looked like they would get the early advantage in the second stanza; Simon Jodoin would go to the box sixty-one seconds into the period. The powerplay wouldn’t last too long for the Maineiacs as Etienne Brodeur went to the box forty-five seconds into the powerplay for tripping. The momentum would change from that point on.

The Wildcats would go on the two man advantage with 14:05 to go. Tom Michalik was called for cross-checking a Moncton player into Peter Delmas’ cage. Sean Stagles was called for tripping at the same time. Moncton went to work from there. Brandon Gormley teed one up that found the back of the net at the 6:35 mark. It’s his first career goal in the QMJHL. Pierre-Marc Lessard and Matt Eagles tallied assists on the goal. 1:23 after the goal, Lessard made it 2-0 as he picked up the trash in front of the net. Mark Barberio and Randy Cameron picked up assists on the play.

After the goal, Nicola Riopel got drilled by Michael Chaput. No penalty was called. Lucas LaBelle couldn’t catch up to the puck on the penalty kill because Riopel got there first. Moncton almost made it a 3 goal lead but Delmas made a nice glove save at point blank range. Lewiston added pressure with less than two minutes in the stanza when Sean Stagles had a nice blast but Riopel flashed the leather.

Peter Delmas saw a lot of shots in the first few minutes of the third period. He made two great saves to keep it a 2-0 deficit. The third time was the charm for the Wildcats. Matt Boyle threw the puck on net and Daniel Pettersson tipped it to make it 3-0. It looked like Delmas had it between the pads but it trickled in. The referees went upstairs to make sure that it went in. The goal came 1:46 into the period.

Lucas Labelle was checked from behind into the boards. Simon Jodoin went to the box. Nicola Riopel had to work for his shutout in the third period. He made some big saves when his team was down a man in the period. Lewiston threw everything at Riopel in the third but he was a stone wall in the pipes. Peter Delmas was pulled for the extra man with a couple of minutes to go in the contest.

It was Peter Delmas’ season debut and he stopped 19 of the 22 shots he faced. Nicola Riopel turned away all 28 shots that came his way. The Achilles heel for the Maineiacs so far this season has been the special teams. They went 0 for 7 on the powerplay and Moncton had two powerplay goals on six chances. The three stars were:

3. Matt Eagles (Moncton)

2. Pierre-Marc Lessard (Moncton)

1. Nicola Riopel (Moncton)

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