Lineup
Forward lines and defense pairings:
[one_half]Lessio – McCarron – Scherbak
Hudon – de la Rose – Andrighetto
Bournival – Dumont – Friberg
Scott – MacMillan – Eisenschmid [/one_half]
[one_half_last]Hanley – Lernout
Ellis – Dietz
Johnston – Didier[/one_half_last]
Goaltenders:
Fucale
Pasquale
Scratches: Jeremy Gregoire, Mac Bennett, Bud Holloway (undisclosed), Victor Bartley (undisclosed)
Injured reserve: Connor Crisp (undisclosed)
Game Report
The season series against the Portland Pirates hasn’t been pretty for the IceCaps. After dropping the first two games in St. John’s, the IceCaps needed to come into Cross Insurance Arena strong and confident. They looked like neither of those things right from the start.
The Pirates poured on the offensive pressure early, forcing netminder Zach Fucale to be sharp early. The puck traveled back and forth down the sheet fairly evenly throughout the first period, until MacKenzie Weeger found the back of the net to put Portland on the board.
Rocco Grimaldi gave the home team a two-goal lead early in the second, but then the IceCaps seemed to find some much-needed energy. Lucas Lessio drove to the net hard on multiple shifts during the game and had quite a few good chances, but goaltender Mike McKenna stood tall.
Nikita Scherbak saved the IceCaps from a shutout loss by potting his third goal of the season, assisted by Charles Hudon and Sven Andrighetto. Discipline came completely unraveled in this game with the IceCaps taking eight minor penalties, two of which came from John Scott.
The IceCaps return to the ice on Friday night when they take on the Portland Pirates once more in this back-to-back series.
▲ Nikita Scherbak
▼ John Scott |