Colin Parker scored a first period hat trick, including two goals 35 seconds apart to lift the Grand Falls Rapids to a 6-4 victory over the Fredericton Red Wings in Maritime Hockey League action at the Grant-Harvey Centre Sunday. Dominic LeBlanc, with his league-leading 12th goal of the season, Bryce Thomson and Nicholas Brennan had the other goals for the Rapids, spoiling the MHL debut of Red Wings goaltender Mavric Welk. The 17-year-old native of Golden Lake, Ont. was acquired by the Red Wings in a trade with the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Canada Hockey League earlier in the week.
Matthieu Meuller had a pair of goals for the Red Wings and set up another by Manix Sarrasin. Slava Melikov had the other goal for the Red Wings, who trailed 4-1 after one period, closed the gap to 4-3 after two, but couldn’t tie it up despite a 17-5 advantage in shots on goal in the final period and .
Grand Falls goaltender Adam Lecours made 34 saves to earn the win while Welk made 35 saves in his Red Wings debut. The Wings fall to 3-3-1 on the season with the loss, two points back of both the Rapids and Campbellton Tigers in the Eastlink North Division standings. But the Wings have two games in hand on the Rapids and three on the Tigers.
Next up for the Wings is a Thursday night visit from the West Kent Steamers at the Grant-Harvey Centre. The Red Wings return the favour Friday night when they travel to West Kent.
(Submitted by Bill Hunt)