Here are some game recaps for the boys league during the March 18-20 weekend. A reminder, it is the responsibility of the home team to send in game recaps. 

FRIDAY, MARCH 18

Clare 3 – Par-en-Bas 2 (Shootout)

The two CSAP rivals – Clare and PEB – faced off in Church Point as Clare hosted Par-en-Bas on Friday evening in Game 1 of a best-of-3 Game highly anticipated playoff series and both fan bases were not disappointed. Les Loups took a 1-0 lead when Miguel deJesus hit the twine at 9:11 to give Clare the first lead of the game after 1 period of play.

The second period saw Par-en-Bas tie up the game at 4:07 as Carson d'Eon scored on the powerplay. The Sharks took their first lead of the game not long after as Blake Newell added PEB's 2nd PP goal of the period. Sharks headed into the 3rd period with a 2-1 lead.

The third period saw both teams battle it out until Alex Theriault tied up the game on the power play for les Loups at the 6:30 mark. The rest of regulation solved nothing, and both teams endured two overtime periods with the action going back and forth.

First, an OT period consisting of 4-on-4 hockey for 5 minutes, then a 2nd OT of 3-on-3 for 5 minutes, until finally the game headed into a 3-player per team shootout. Miguel deJesus scored as the first shooter for Clare on Miguel Surette, who then stopped Ryan Trimper and Logan Comeau. Dominic Cottreau stopped all three shooters for PEB that featured Blake Newell, Spencer Surette and Chandler LeBlanc. 

Scorers for PEB: Carson d'Eon 1G, Blake Newell 1G, Chandler LeBlanc 1A, Spencer Surette 1A, Alyre Richardson 1A.

Scorers for Clare: Miguel deJesus 2G, Jakeb Belliveau 2A,  Alex Theriault 1G, Ryan Trimper 1A, Luca LeBlanc 1A .

Game 2 went Saturday at the Yarmouth Mariners Centre. 

SATURDAY, MARCH 19

Park View 3 – Avon View 2 (Shootout)

For the second time in two weeks the Avon View Avalanche and Park View Panthers staged a classic, the only difference this time is that the Panthers won in a shoot-out instead of the Avalanche. 

The game, following an Avalanche win two weeks ago in Bridgewater, was part of the double round-robin series also involving Horton to see which two teams would advance to a best-of-three series for the Western Zone Division I Boys High School Hockey Championship. As well, a Park View series win will put them in the provincials in Windsor March 31-April 3.

On Saturday night in Windsor at the West Hants Community Sportsplex, the Panthers handed the Avalanche only their third loss of the season and brought them to within a single game of earning a berth in the provincials as they won 3-2 in a shoot-out.

The game played before more than 300 cheering students, parents and grandparents saw a number of exciting plays. The first was when Sam Tanner stole the puck from an Avalanche defender directly in front of the Avalanche net, but his shot was directly on Jaden Croft in the Avon View nets. Croft then made three spectacular saves as the Panthers were all over the Avalanche net.  Park View finally scored to go in front 1-0 when Landon Morash scored on a rebound directly in front of the Avalanche net.  Avalanche Captain Camdyn Burgess then had a glorious scoring opportunity as he broke through the Panther defence but ended up going into the net instead of the puck as he tried to score on Panther net minder Owen Lockwood.

Nathan Culbert who played a strong game for the Panthers all evening took a pass from Liam Sylvester who made a strong rush down the ice before getting the puck over to Culbert and putting Park View in front 2-0 at the end of the first period.  The Avalanche came close twice in the closing seconds of the first but Lockwood foiled them both times.  The Avalanche outshot the Panthers 9-8 in the first period.

In the second period, the Avalanche played the opening 1:26 short-handed and also took a few needless penalties and it almost cost them another goal before Croft made another great save on Culbert. The game began to shift on the highlight reel goal of the night when Carter Hood started with the puck in the Avon View end and rushed the entire length of the ice going through four Park View defenders to beat Lockwood high on his left side with 2:40 left in the second period to bring the Avlanche back to within a goal. Avon View outshot the Panthers 8-4 in the middle period.

In the third period, the Avalanche’s Gavin Sheehy was stopped point blank in front of the Panther net just two minutes into the third period.  With 11:35 to play in the third and the Avalanche on the power-play, Brayden Hood picked up a rebound and poked it home to knot the game at 2-2.  Park View then took another penalty and it almost cost them as Jaiden Wells just missed by an inch or two as the puck rolled almost inside the post on Lockwood but it somehow stayed out.  With 4:30 to play after the Avalanche had dominated the majority of the third holding a 10-1 shot advantage at one stage, the Panthers crawled back and forced Croft to make two huge saves.  The Avalanche outshot the Panthers 12-7 in the third for a three-period advantageous of 29-19.

In the five minute, four-on-four, Croft made a save on Tanner of the Panthers who had a great chance but rifled his shot directly on Croft.  Brodie Richard showing good heads-up play from the blue-line went in Lockwood but he also shot directly at the Pair View goaltender and was denied.  Avon View ended up outshooting the Panthers 3-2 in overtime for a 32-21 game advantage. 

All that was left was the shoot-out and it was a tense affair as Croft and Lockwood duelled it out.  Each team took five shots and the two goaltenders were able to stop the first nine until Ryan Jensen on Park View’s 5th attempt put it between the legs of Croft for a 3-2 Park View win.  Prior to Jensen, Jack Barry, Ethan Corkum, Dylan Demone who was stopped on a great pad save by Croft and Sam Tanner all failed to score.  For the Avalanche, Gavin Sheehy who went to deke Lockwood before seeing the puck roll off his stick, Brayden Jodrey, Camdyn Burgess, Carter Hood and Brodie Richard all failed to score for the Avalanche. 

Game 2 in this series goes back to Bridgewater Thursday night.  A win by the Panthers will put them in the provincials, a loss will force game 3 back in Windsor Saturday night at 7 p.m.

Par-en-Bas 7 – Clare 3

Game 2 between these CSAP rivals took place at Mariners Centre. Game 1 between the two teams had been close and exciting for the fans and both teams started where they left off. Blake Newell started the scoring finishing a 2 vs 1 play with Spencer Surette. The loups scored with 5:31 left in the 1st with a goal by Logan Comeau.

The sharks came out of the gate flying in the second not wanting this game to be their last. Spencer Surette scored a hat trick in the 2nd period to put the Sharks ahead. Riley Hubbard and Chandler LeBlanc each scored singles in the period as well.

The Loups, who never give up, scored at 10:45 in the second with a breakaway goal from Miguel deJesus.

The teams split the 3rd with a goal each.  The École Secondaire de Par-en-bas Sharks won Game 2 by a score of 7-3 to even the best of 3 series at 1 each. Game 3 took place at Université Sainte-Anne on Sunday, March 20.

Scoring for Clare: Logan Comeau (1G, 1A), Miguel deJesus (1G), Chad Reddick (2A), Chase Comeau (1G)

Scoring for PEB- Spencer Surette (3G, 2A), Blake Newell (1G 4A), Riley Hubbard ( 2G), Chander LeBlanc (1G) and Seamus d’Entremont (1A)

SUNDAY, MARCH 20

CLARE 2 – Par-en-Bas 1

South Division Semi-Final 

Clare wins Best of 3 Game Series two games to one

Game 3: After Par-en-Bas won Game 2 convincingly on Saturday night at the Mariners Centre 7-3 tying the best-of-3 game series at 1-1 and avoiding playoff elimination, both teams had a date set for Sunday afternoon in Church Point at 3 p.m. with one team moving onto the Division 2 Regionals vs the NKEC Titans and the other team playing their last game of the season. 

Fans from both communities were treated to a tight checking affair that saw many saves highlighting both teams’ goaltenders – for Clare Dominic Cottreau and for PEB Miguel Surette. Les Loups were the 1st team to hit the scoreboard when Luca LeBlanc beat the Sharks tender at 8:26. Clare took a 1-0 lead after 1 period of play. 

The second period saw some more high energy and back-and-forth fast paced action with many great chances, until Clare's captain Nema Hanna was sprung on a breakaway and scored, doubling the Loups lead at the 7:00 mark. After 2 periods of play, Clare held onto a 2-0 lead. 

The third period saw both teams battle it out until Par-en-Bas pulled the goaltender and had a PP chance late in the game, making it a 6 to 4 skater advantage for PEB. With 1:40 left in the game, Chandler LeBlanc riffled a point shot that solved Dominic Cottreau to cut the lead down to 2-1. Clare held on for the rest of regulation and won the game 2-1. A great series played by both teams who represented their CSAP schools and hometowns with passion and pride. 

Scorers for PEB: Chandler LeBlanc 1G (unassisted).

Scorers for Clare: Luca LeBlanc 1G (unassisted) & Nema Hanna 1G (unassisted). 

The Clare Loups now move on to Division 2 Regionals vs NKEC Titans. 

WEEKEND SCORES

NKEC 6 – West Kings 1 (NKEC advances for regionals)

Clare 3 – Par-en-Bas 2 (SO)

Par-en-Bas 7 – Clare 3

Park View  – Avon View 2 (SO)

Clare 2 – Par-en-Bas 1 (Clare advances for regionals)