Skyhawks fall to Eskimos (updated)

Scores! Abitibi's David Proulx scores a second period goal against Ian Wilson that sent him to the showers early. Photo by Lucas Punkari.

The North Bay Skyhawks opened up the scoring on Sunday night, but were unable to hold on the rest of the way, as they dropped a 4-2 decision to the Abitibi Eskimos at Memorial Gardens. With the victory, the Eskimos tied the best of seven series up at one game apiece.

“I think it was just a lack of intensity out there,” Skyhawks head coach Ian Swalucynski said following the loss.

“We got a win last night by being intense, and we didn’t have that same focus tonight. I thought we did a couple of things well but for the most part nobody really wanted it out there. Then we gave them a couple of power-plays, we got down and we couldn’t get back up.”

After Justin Villenueve opened the scoring on the power play 7 minutes into the first, the Eskimos came back in a hurry, as a Russel Morin power play marker two minutes later knotted the game up.

Abitibi would take the lead with 59 seconds left in the period following a highlight reel goal by David Proulx. Morin potted his second of the night early into the second period, resulting in Ian Wilson getting pulled after giving up three goals in nine shots, in favor of Andre Laperriere.

“I thought Andre came in and did a hell of a job,” Swalucysnki said about his netminder who turned aside 18 of 19 shots, only allowing a goal by Proulx late in the second that extended the Eskimos lead to 4-1.

“He made some big saves at the end when the team gave up on him. The team ran Wilson out of the net and they did the same there to Andre, that’s not right. So they better show up for practice on Tuesday and fix that.”

Dustin Fummerton would cut the gap back down to two goals late in the third on the power play, which seemed to put a fire back under the Skyhawks. However, Abitibi’s netminder Miles Williams kept the Eskimos in front for good as he turned aside 38 shots for the win.

“You could almost call that a nailbiter right there at the end, because they were all over us,” Eskimos coach Paul Gagne said regarding his netminder’s performance.

“But Miles was right there for us making the big saves there when we needed him. You know last night he just like the rest of us, tired and drained emotionally and didn’t he really play all that well. However tonight, he just went with instincts and he was sharp and that a big boost for us.”

Game three of the series takes place in Iroquois Falls on Tuesday night, while the Skyhawks will play host to game four on Friday night. Despite picking up momentum in the series with the win on Sunday night, Gagne feels that this series will be back-and-forth till the very end.

“These are two very good hockey clubs here. Were both well-disciplined and come out playing hard, so we’re not going take anything for granted. It’s been a battle all year between us with a lot of close games, we’re going to have our hands full with them and so do they.”