ST. JOHN’s, NL — Every Tuesday, IceCaps Hockey Report’s lead contributor, Amy Johnson, reviews the most recent action involving prospects of the Montreal Canadiens and what to expect from the St. John’s IceCaps in the week ahead.
Scratches: Dalton Thrower, Mac Bennett, John Scott, Travis Brown, Cory Ward, Simon Bourque, Ben Scrivens, Brandon McNally, Angelo Miceli, Alexandre Ranger, Eddie Pasquale, Markus Eisenschmid (undisclosed) Injured Reserve: Connor Crisp (undisclosed), Michael Bournival (concussion)
Game Report
It wasn’t a fluke. Last night’s OT win wasn’t just a flash in the pan for the IceCaps, as they took to their home ice this afternoon with another energetic and determined 60 minutes of play.
Jacob de la Rose stood out yet again, potting the first goal just over a minute into the game. He was soon followed by Morgan Ellis scoring his 16th of the season, with an assist by Bud Holloway.
Next it was Mike McCarron’s turn, handling a pass right out of the penalty box and skating it in for a backhander into the net. He was assisted by Holloway, who set a new single-season points record for the franchise with 60 points, and Tom Parisi who earned his first pro point.
The second period brought more of the onslaught. Tim Bozon wristed one past the goaltender right off the bat, and then Nikita Scherbak found mesh after a series of clean passes from McCarron and Charles Hudon.
The Comets managed to get on the board, but the IceCaps and Eddie Pasquale kept them out of the net for the rest of the period – despite Utica coming at the net hard and peppering Pasquale with shot attempts.
In the third period, the ice continued to tilt in favor of the IceCaps as Hudon potted two goals of his own. The second one came after McCarron dropped the gloves with Joseph LaBate and earned himself his first AHL Gordie Howe hat trick.
(Photo courtesy of the St. John’s IceCaps)
The St. John’s team seemed to get a bit undisciplined late in the third, giving up a series of penalties that allowed plenty of man-advantage time for the Comets, but Pasquale kept the Utica skaters at bay for an outstanding finish to the weekend.
The IceCaps close out their season by hosting the Hartford Wolfpack on Friday and Saturday nights at Mile One Centre.
▲ Jacob de la Rose, Michael McCarron, Morgan Ellis, Bud Holloway, Tom Parisi, Nikita Scherbak, Charles Hudon
▼
Statistics
ICECAPS
COMETS
39
Shots
31
0 for 4
Power Play
0 for 6
21
Penalty Minutes
17
Scoring
FINAL
1
2
3
OT
SO
T
IceCaps (31-32-8-3)
3
2
2
–
–
7
Comets (36-25-8-4)
0
1
0
–
–
1
Scorers
Goalies
STJ: de la Rose (6), Ellis (16), McCarron (16), Bozon (4), Scherbak (7), Hudon (27), Hudon (28)
Scratches: Shane Bakker, Alexandre Ranger, Ben Scrivens, Angelo Miceli, Markus Eisenschmid (undisclosed) Injured Reserve: Connor Crisp (undisclosed), Michael Bournival (concussion)
Game Report
The last road trip of the season didn’t go well for the IceCaps. They probably were relieved to get back to St. John’s this week and take to their own home ice for the remainder of the year. Their first visitors? The Lehigh Valley Phantoms, whom they hadn’t faced since October in Allentown. The Phantoms didn’t make the IceCaps homecoming too sweet, however.
The first period looked good, with both teams getting a fairly even amount of shots, and no penalties. Goaltenders Zach Fucale and Martin Ouellette looked strong in net and turned aside more than a few good shot attempts.
Charles Hudon was the recipient of a cross-check that sent him awkwardly into the boards and he had to be helped off the ice by a trainer and a teammate, looking woozy and unsteady. He did not return to the bench.
In the second period, Taylor Leier put a puck past Fucale in the first minute and things went downhill from there for the home team. Tim Bozon managed to get the IceCaps on the board, thanks to a helper by Cory Ward, but the Phantoms kept coming and finding ways to get the puck into the net.
The IceCaps only took two penalties in the game, but allowed a power play goal, while the Phantoms took six penalties and blanked the St. John’s power play units. A late period empty netter by Lehigh Valley put the IceCaps away for good.
Brett Lernout was missing from the lineup as he was called up to the Montreal Canadiens on emergency status due to Nathan Beaulieu sustaining a thumb injury. Ben Scrivens cleared waivers and arrived in St. John’s earlier in the afternoon, but did not dress for this matchup.
The series continues tomorrow night as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms return to Mile One for the fourth and final game between these two teams.
▲ Morgan Ellis, Andrew Yogan, Zach Fucale, Tom Parisi, Cory Ward
Scratches: Shane Bakker, Alexandre Ranger, Mac Bennett, Angelo Miceli, Markus Eisenschmid (undisclosed) Injured Reserve: Connor Crisp (undisclosed), Michael Bournival (concussion)
Game Report
It was the last game of a long road trip – the final road trip of the regular season. And it will likely leave the IceCaps with a bitter taste in their mouth on a long flight back to St. John’s.
Not many positives can be taken from this game. The first period looked hopeful with no penalties taken, shots even at six each. Newcomer Tom Parisi had some decent shifts, and players put some good shots on Antoine Bibeau.
But then in the second period, the revolving door to the penalty box began – as did the goals against. The IceCaps took eight trips to the box in total, and the Marlies managed to score on three of those man-advantage opportunities. John Scott took a four-minute penalty for spearing which kicked off the power play goals for Toronto.
Gabriel Dumont left the ice for a bit in the second period after getting hit from behind and going awkwardly into the glass. He would reappear in the third period. Eddie Pasquale did the best he could on a night where he wasn’t getting much support, but the Marlies kept peppering him with pucks.
The IceCaps now have a quick turnaround as they fly back to St. John’s and get ready for a back-to-back series this weekend against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.