The Tigers started off this weekend’s games in Nova Scotia with a solid win over the Wildcats. From the opening face-off, Campbellton pressed Valley, dominated at both ends of the ice and lit the lamp three times in the first period. Their first came off a slick three-way passing play which set up Zach Spencer for an open shot from low in the slot. Maxime Charest got the play started by winning the puck along the left boards just inside the blue line. He moved it up to Drew Toner who skated to the middle and dropped the puck back to Charest who had moved in to the face-off circle. As he headed toward the net, Charest slid the puck over to Spencer in front who put the shot into the top left corner.
Dawson Stairs did much of the legwork on the Tigers’ second tally. He outworked a defender deep in Valley’s zone and after getting control of the puck, slid it along the boards to Jared Janke below the goal line. From there Janke fed a perfect pass to Dylan Coffey who had move down from the slot and was alone in front of the crease. With half the net open, Coffey banged it home and doubled Campbellton’s lead.
Kyle Petten’s goal, and the Tigers’ third, came on the powerplay and was set up when Francis Thibeault passed to Pascal Valcourt on the half-boards. He moved in and then passed sharply to Petten in the slot who quickly sniped it over the goalie’s glove.
In the second period the Tigers continued to pile on the pressure and generated many scoring chances but Aaron Brunn, in Valley’s net, managed to keep the puck out with one exception. After Pierre-Luc Lurette had just missed on a scoring attempt from the slot, Drew Toner got control of the puck beside the Wilcats’ net. Wasting no time, he passed it through the crease to Charest who popped the water bottle with a high shot into the empty side.
The Tigers’ final goal of the game came at the 3:27 mark of the final frame. Stairs carried the puck into Valley’s end and then turned back to the blue line and fed a pass across to Thibeault who headed in toward the net. Just as he approached the side of the crease, he saucered a pass to Janke in front who easily tapped it into the net.
Tristan Gray faced only fifteen shots in the game but was forced to make some key saves in the second and third periods to preserve the shut-out. All three game stars went to Tigers with Janke getting third, Toner, second and Charest, first.
The Tigers will be matching up against the Bearcats in Truro Saturday at 7:00 pm as they finish up their two game swing through Nova Scotia. You can follow the progress of the game here on the scoreboard section of the Tigers website or, if you have or wish to purchase a subscription, watch the game on HockeyTV.