SYDNEY, N.S. – Declan Smith scored the game-winning goal as the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles doubled the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 4-2 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at Centre 200 on Friday.
The goal was Smith’s seventh of the season and had a very special meaning for the Screaming Eagles captain.
Smith returned to the Cape Breton lineup Friday after two games following the death of his mother, Rachel, on Dec. 1.
Following the goal, Smith turned towards the Screaming Eagles bench and point to the sky as many of the 1,888 fans rose to their feet cheering and clapping – a moment Cape Breton fans and Smith won’t soon forget.
The St. Andrews produced finished the night with a goal and an assist.
Brooklyn Kalmikov, Ian Smallwood and Isiah Campbell also scored goals for the Screaming Eagles (18-11-1-1).
Michel Ivan and Noah Dobson responded with goals for the Titan (5-23-0-1).
William Grimard made 10 saves and picked up an assist in the win. Mark
Grametbauer turned aside 35 of 38 shots in the loss for the Titan.
Acadie-Bathurst opened the scoring midway through the first period with Ivan’s shot from the top of the circle beat the Screaming Eagles’ Grimard, but Cape Breton answered minutes later with a Kalmikov power play goal at 13:17 of the opening stanza.
The game didn’t stay tied for long, Dobson regained the lead for the Titan with a slapshot fooling Grimard low on the blocker side on the power play.
The game remained 2-1 through 40 minutes of play, before Smallwood tipped home an Adam McCormick point shot to tie the game at 12:50 of the third period, which followed minutes later by Smith’s game-winner.
Campbell secured the two points for Cape Breton, scoring into an empty net at 19:10 of the final frame.
Cape Breton out shot Acadie-Bathurst 39-12, while going 1-for-5 on the power play. The Titan went 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
The Screaming Eagles will return to action Saturday when they host Patrick Roy and the Quebec Remparts in the team’s teddy bear toss game. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at Centre 200 in Sydney.
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