Miramichi Sports: Dieppe Beats Miramichi 5-3

BOUCTOUCHE - The Miramichi Timberwolves visted Bouctouche Saturday night to play their final pre-season Maritime Junior Hockey League game.

The T-Wolves dropped the game 5-3 to the Dieppe Commandos at the newly opened JK Irving Centre in front of a boisterous crowd of 454 fans.

Despite the loss which dropped the T-Wolves to 1-3 in the pre-season, Head Coach Rob MacDonald was happy with his team's effort.

“I actually thought we outplayed them,” MacDonald said. We shot ourselves in the foot with some bad untimely penalties.”

After a scoreless first period, the teams ended the second tied 1-1 after Logan Smallman opened the scoring for Miramichi at 10:25 before Danny Chiasson tied the game at 16:00 with a short handed marker.

Smallman then scored his second of the game at the 3:46 mark of the third to give the lead back to Miramichi, but it was the last lead the T-Wolves would enjoy. Joel Blanchard scored at less than a minute later and Shane Dallaire gave Dieppe a 3-2 lead at 5:45.

Billy Gaston tied the game for Miramichi scoring at 6:00 but Dieppe would take the lead for good with a goal from Alex Murray at 7:12 before Mathieu Newcomb sealed the deal with a power play goal at 14:39.

Jordan Kennedy went the distance for Miramichi between the pipes and stopping 17 shots. Connor Wilkinson picked up the win for the Commandos stopping 22 shots.

The teams will play again in Bouctouche on Oct. 20.

Now that the pre-season is done, MacDonald said he is very happy with the team, but obviously there are places to improve and this week will be a busy one for all involved with the team.

“We want to try to final up our roster. I know the kids are a little bit on edge,” he said. “We have to make some really tough decisions.

The T-Wolves open the season at home Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. when the Truro Bearcats pay a visit to the Miramichi Civic Centre.