Fredericton watched a 4-0 lead dissipate and were only an enormous save away from losing in regulation, eventually falling 5-4 in a shootout in Maritime Hockey League play, one of the most entertaining games of the season.
Brock McLeod and Tristan Gagnon scored in the shootout for the Blizzard against Jack Grant. Antoine Lyonnais kicked out 36 shots for the win and stopped Alex Pellerin and Eliot Bergbauer in the shootout.
The game never would have reached a shootout had it not been for Grant’s larcenous save on Chad Wilson in the dying seconds, making a huge right pad stop.
Chrystopher Collin had two goals for Edmundston. Alex Arsenault and Gagnon had solos.
Ethan Stuckless clicked twice for the Red Wings. Jared Cosman and Patrick Musico also tucked.
Fredericton had built a 4-0 lead when Cosman connected at the tail-end of a Red Wing powerplay, but that was pretty much it for the hosts the rest of the frame as Edmundston rattled off three straight tucks, ignited by Arsenault at 7:20 before Collin drilled his 36th on a rocket during a man advantage.
Collin came back with 44 seconds left in the second, firing home a wrister to cut the deficit to 4-3.
The free-flowing first period was as entertaining a frame as fans have seen this season, the fleet-footed Red Wings wowing the hometown crowd with three goals, kickstarted by Musico with his sixth of the season.
Musico scored at 8:27 and just under five minutes later, Stuckless slammed home a juicy rebound past Lyonnais, his 17th of the campaign and a 2-0 lead.
Stuckless would score again with 51 seconds left in the opener, but little did he know his night would be over later in the second period when he picked up a minor for goaltender interference, the Red Wings second penalty of the night for a goalie indiscretion. That carries with it an automatic game misconduct.
It was the final regular season game of the year for the Red Wings, who will finish the season on the road before starting the playoffs in mid-March.