Top-seeded L/A Nordiques opened the 2019 NA3HL Fraser Cup strong, defeating the No. 4 Helena Bighorns 4-1 on Wednesday evening at the Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge, Illinois.
The Nordiques became the first Coastal Division team since the NA3HL added the division three years ago to win a game at the Fraser Cup, or its predecessor, the Silver Cup.
“It’s always nice to start with a victory and we positioned ourselves nicely to be in a semifinal game on Saturday,” L/A Nordiques coach Cam Robichaud said. “I think we had some great moments in the game, but we had some moments that we need to get better at as we go deeper in the week as we try to win the championship.”
The Nordiques had four different goal scorers, and Andrew Ghimpeteanu made 25 saves in the victory as the Nordiques outshot the Bighorns 52-26.
Colby Audette opened the scoring at the 3:36 mark of the opening period after Joshua Sanchez fed him the puck.
GOAL! ? The 2019 #NA3HL #FraserCup is underway and less than four minutes into the game the @LANordiques get on the board as Colby Audette @audette_colby puts a shot upstairs. pic.twitter.com/Vm6LbXc1wr
— NA3HL (@NA3HL) March 27, 2019
Robichaud said Audette wasn’t feeling well this morning and wasn’t sure he would be in the lineup, but he felt better as the day went along.
Valeri Rykov dangled through the Bighorns’ defense and made it 2-0 Nordiques at the 11:46 mark of the first period.
GOAL! ? The No. 1-seeded @LANordiques are flexing their muscles early at the #NA3HL #FraserCup as Top Prospects forward Valeri Rykov makes it 2-0 by undressing the defense and dangling one into the back of the net. pic.twitter.com/ZanMNfNUPN
— NA3HL (@NA3HL) March 27, 2019
Getting Rykov on the score sheet was important.
“That’s what he needs to bring to this team, offense,” Robichaud said. “He’s a big body at the top of the circle, he can stick-handle, he can pass, he can shoot. If he’s not getting points, he’s not doing much out there. He’s an offensive presence, and that’s what we expect from him.”
The Nordiques carried the momentum of the first period into the second as Josh Malone scored an unassisted tally 41 seconds into the stanza.
The momentum subsided when Sergei Anisimov took a slashing penalty at the 2:08 mark and Helena capitalized. Darren Donovan scored on the power play 3:16 into the middle frame. Assists went to Hayden Seitz and Justin Sullivan.
Robichaud said it was a fluke goal and he wasn’t too concerned the Bighorns scored on the power play.
It was the Bighorns lone power play of the game.
L/A took a 3-1 lead into the third period.
“I think (Helena) stepped up their compete level in the second and we weren’t great in the second,” Robichaud said. “But, we got it together, it was sloppy, I will be honest, in the second.
“We found a way to get it back on track for the third. That’s a sign of a good team that can go far in the playoffs, when a good team can recognize when they aren’t playing their best and make adjustments to come out better.”
Lewiston native Cole Ouellette gave the Nordiques come breathing room in the third period when he scored on the power play at the 7:11 mark off an assist by JP Chauvin.
GOAL! ? It is now 4-1 as @LANordiques defenseman and @MaineNordiques @NAHLHockey tender Cole Oullette @OuelletteCole lights the lamp in Game 1 of the 2019 #NA3HL #FraserCup pic.twitter.com/TzMAu3CVff
— NA3HL (@NA3HL) March 27, 2019
The Nordiques went 1-for-2 on the power play.
Helena’s Alexander Rogers made 48 saves the losing effort.
The Nordiques finish their pool play slate against the sixth-seeded North Iowa Bulls on Thursday at 5 p.m. (EST). It will be the Bulls first game of the tournament.
“I expect a challenging game, they are a good team, we saw them practice this afternoon,” Robichaud said. “They have good team speed and team puck movement. We are going to have to show up, we are going to have to compete, we are going to have to be physical and we are going to have a consistent effort.”
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