20-05-2025
N.B. team comes up short at Centennial Cup
The Edmundston Blizzard split their four games at the national junior A hockey tournament and had their season ended by a lopsided loss to the host team and eventual champion.
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Edmundston's time at the 2025 Centennial Cup in Calgary was cut short by an 8-2 defeat at the hands of the Calgary Canucks in its round-robin finale May 13 at the Max Bell Centre.
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That was a must-win game for the Blizzard, who were fourth in the five-team Group B and looked to advance to the knockout round as one of the top three teams.
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Calgary went on to win its third national title with a 7-2 triumph over Saskatchewan's Melfort Mustangs in the final Sunday night.
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In other round-robin action, Edmundston thumped Quebec's Valleyfield Braves 7-2 May 12.
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The Blizzard were led at the Centennial Cup by 20-year-old forward Jérémy D'Astous' seven points (two goals, five assists) in four games. Fellow 20-year-olds Carl-Anthony Massé, Philippe Collette, and Moncton product Will Allen each added five points.
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Nineteen-year-old netminder Austin Caley posted a 2-0 win-loss mark, a 2.29 goals-against average, and a .922 save percentage in three games, while 20-year-old backstop Frédéric Cousineau went 0-2 with a 6.61 GAA and an .815 save percentage.
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The Blizzard dominated the MHL this year en route to their second league title since the franchise moved to Edmundston from Dieppe in 2017. They went 44-6-2 in the regular season, good for first in the league and Eastlink North Division, before beating the Miramichi Timberwolves in five games and sweeping the Campbellton Tigers and Pictou County Weeks Crushers in four straight contests.
