By Aaron McCracken
Date: 4/25/2001

After winning five consecutive postseason games, the Saint John Flames suffered their first loss of the 2001 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Quebec Citadelles scored three power play goals and hung on for a 3-2 win on Wednesday night. The Flames still lead the series two games to one.

Francis Belanger got the Citadelles on the board first with a power play tip-in shot with Chris Clark in the box. Brochu was able to get a piece of the puck, but wasn't able to keep it from crossing the goal line.

Steve Begin tied the game early in the 2^nd with a power play marker of his own off of a nifty redirect of a Steve Montador point shot. It was Begin's 5^th of the playoffs (he had only 12 goals during the regular season). However, Quebec took the lead on Eric Landry's 5-on-3 power play goal late in the 2^nd period. Mike Martin and Steve Begin took back-to-back penalties, giving the Cits an extended two-man advantage.

Quebec went up 3-1 when Belanger scored his second of the game after Dave Roche was sent to the box on a very questionable cross-checking call. Saint John made it close late in the 3^rd when Derrick Walser's point shot beat Mathieu Garon with 24 seconds remaining and Martin Brochu on the bench in favor on an extra attacker. The Flames did manage to get a faceoff deep in Quebec's zone with nine seconds remaining, but were unable to score the equalizer.

Mathieu Garon made 33 saves to record the win, while Martin Brochu made 24 saves in a losing effort.

• Quebec's Jonathan Delisle initiated a line brawl midway through the third period after picking a fight with Doug Doull. Doull and Francis Belanger each received match penalties for their part in the fights, and now face possible suspensions by the AHL.
• The game ended on a rough note when Chris Clark and Eric Landry fought each other. It will be interesting to see how the teams react in game four after a physical third period.
• Miika Elomo took a puck in the face in the 2^nd period and didn't return to the game after losing a fair amount of blood. His status is unknown for Friday's game.
• Daniel Tkaczuk returned from a concussion after a three-week absence. He was a non-factor in the game and didn't see a ton of ice time.

1. Begin (Montador, Dupont) PP
2. Walser (Varlamov, Roche)

http://scoreboard.canoe.ca/11437/FINA-89-AHL-SNB-QUE-11437-1.html

3. Mike Ribiero

2. Francis Belanger

1. Mathieu Garon

Murray – Varlamov – Botterill

Tkaczuk – Begin -- Clark

Betts – Roche – Fata

Elomo - Doull

Walser – Martin

Montador – Scoville

Mrozik – Dupont

Scratches: Chris St. Croix (healthy), Jason Morgan (facial laceration, day-to-day) Bobby Russell (healthy), Jeff Dewar (healthy), Dany Sabourin (healthy).