Nestrasil Sinks Sags in Shootout!
Nestrasil Sinks Sags in Shootout
The second period winding down, Philippe Paradis whirls over the Chicoutimi blueline to corral a shorthanded clearing attempt from Adam Polasek, then sends a long glance over at Samuel Morneau streaking down the middle.
This time, the sniper elects to fire, blowing a wicked slapshot right through Sagueneens’ goaltender Christopher Gibson to put the PEI Rocket on the board 1-0.
And the crowd went wild.
Paradis’ 18th of the year was one of the highlight moments of a game featuring its share of bouncing pucks and chippy play.
Charles Hudon returned the favour at 7:51 of the third period, snapping a high wrist shot to beat Rocket goalie Maxime Lagace and tie the game on Chicoutimi’s 19th shot of the contest.
Then it was Andrej Nestrasil’s turn to score a highlight-reel goal.
A chip pass from Paradis sprung the big Czech in alone, where he deked forehand-backhand before slipping the puck gently through Gibson’s legs to put the Rocket up 2-1 at 14:26.
But Chicoutimi wasn’t finished. With the goalie on the bench and Matthew Hobbs and Paradis in the box, centre Steve Lebel put a knuckler past Lagace with three seconds left on the clock to send the game into overtime.
The extra frame was a white-knuckle-but-scoreless ride as Morneau, Paradis and Nestrasil were all robbed by Gibson to chants of “Go Rocket Go.”
Then, after shootout misses by Jamie MacIntyre and Morneau, the final highlight of the night belonged to both Nestrasil – who buried the only goal of the breakaway contest after a gorgeous deke – and Lagace, who robbed Sagueneens’ leading scorer Guillaume Asselin with a ridiculous glove save to win the game.
Shots on goal were even in the game at 29.
The game marked the return of former Rocket Jonathan Bonneau to the Charlottetown Civic Centre.
Fans were quieted in the pre-game ceremony when an elderly military member slipped and fell on the red carpet. However, he was able to leave the ice under his own power after being treated by team personnel.
The Rocket improved to 21-18-1-3 on the season.
Marcel Vander Wier
