SYDNEY: Two local players with the Cape Breton Eagles helped the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team to a Thanksgiving weekend home split with the visiting Charlottetown Islanders.
On Friday night, Oct. 9, the Eagles were outworked, outplayed, out everything as Charlottetown skated to a 5-2 victory. If not for the superb goaltending of Will Grimard, the score would have been easily more.
Reporter Pat Healey was at this game snapping photos of locals Liam Kidney of Enfield and Ryan Francis of Beaver Bank. Matt Anthony of Shubenacadie is an assistant coach with the Eagles, as well.
In the second game, Oct. 10, the Eagles bounced back in force icing the Isles with a 6-2 score at Center 200 in Sydney.
Kidney sniped home a highlight of the night goal in the game on Oct. 9, taking a pass from Jarret Baker and quickly one-timing it to the back of the net behind Colten Ellis.
It was one of few bright spots for the Eagles in the game, which saw Cape Breton outshot 42-15.
Kidney showed spark for his team as he tried to get his teammates going with some nice hits and a couple scoring opportunities, but it was all for naught as the Islanders were the better team on night one of their back-to-back games between the two teams.
Kidney had two shots on goal in the contest.
Two of the five shots Francis sent on net were considered dangerous in the game.
In the second night, Kidney notched his third goal of the young QMJHL season and was plus-+2 in the contest. He also had four penalty minutes and one shot on goal.
Meanwhile, Francis seemed to have more jump—as did the whole team—notching two assists, with one shot on goal and two penalty minutes. He was recently drafted by the NHL’s Calgary Flames.
