Tuesday marked the return of former IceCat Blair Atcheynum to the Centrum. Atcheynum has been having a great season for Cape Breton, scoring 24 goals and adding 38 assists for 62 points in 55 games. Unfortunately, although the 'Cats kept their old alumnus from scoring, they couldn't contain the rest of the Oilers, and lost a tough battle, 4-2 (including an open-net goal at the end). The Oilers scored first and kept the pressure on all through the game. Twice the IceCats came back from 1-goal deficits to tie the game at 2-2, early in the third. Defenseman Kenny Sutton scored the first for Worcester, walking right in on Oiler goalie Joaquin Gage and wristing it through the 5-hole at point blank range. His goal was assisted by Jarrett Deuling and Derek Armstrong in the last minute of the second period. Cape Breton came right back, though, out-muscling the IceCats defense and took the lead back with just 16 seconds left in the period.
Alex Vasilevskii scored the 'Cats second goal, set up by Fred Knipscheer and Jamie Rivers, making it a new game at 4:03 of the third period. A turnover in their own zone cost them the game as Shrewsbury native George Breen scored the game-winner at 13:19 to give the Oilers the lead for the final time. Although the IceCats had several good chances to tie it up again, they just didn't get the right bounces and couldn't put another one past Gage. With 58 seconds left, the Oilers sealed the win, 4-2, potting an empty-netter after IceCat goalie Jamie McLennan was pulled in favor of the extra attacker.
On Friday, however, the IceCats pounced back, and beat the River Rats for the first time ever on the road in Albany, with a score of 2-1. Worcester goalie Mike "Play that funky" Buzak, "Whiteboy" (a new nickname by the radio announcers), made 27 saves, including several incredible glove saves, to keep the 'Cats on top. Jarrett Deuling and Derek Armstrong scored for the 'Cats, but the name of this game was defense. The IceCats played superbly in their own zone, especially in the last minute of the game, preserving the win after the Rats pulled goalie Mike Dunham for another skater. Worcester dominated the Rats at their own physical game style, and even NHL veteran Paul Broten got in on the action, landing a beauty of a check on a 6'5", 235 lb Albany goon.
Don't miss the IceCats at the Centrum this Wednesday night at 7:05, when they face off once again versus the Cape Breton Oilers. If the term is over for you, then you don't have an excuse for not being there; you still have work to do - nothing makes a better stress reliever or study break than a rowdy hockey game!
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