CORNWALL, Ontario – Despite a strong second period performance, the River Kings fell 6-4 to Riviere-du-Loup 3L in front of 838 fans at the Ed Lumley Arena on Saturday night.
Down 2-0, J.P. Caron scored Cornwall’s first goal at 6:06 in the middle frame with the River Kings on the powerplay.
Newly acquired defenceman William Lacasse picked up an assist on the play for his first point as a River King.
Eric Satim, playing in his first home game for the River Kings, won a battle behind the net and found a wide-open David Croteau, who tapped in his fifth of the season at 9:06, leveling the score.
Francois Ouimet, also on the powerplay, then riffled a shot past Decelles with 3:36 left in the second. Lacasse, acquired earlier in the day, picked up his second assist of the contest.
3L took over in the third, scoring four back-to-back goals.
Nicolas Larocque-Marcoux buried a Danick Malouin rebound with 1:49 to play to bring the Kings to within two goals.
Fan-favourite Curtis Tidball took on heavyweight Donnie Augustine twice. Colin Rice, appearing in his first game of the season for Cornwall, took on Simon Desmarais in the third.
Cornwall outshot Riviere-du-Loup 45-27.
ROAD TRIP LOSS: The River Kings were defeated 5-3 by the Sorel Eperviers on Friday (Jan. 8). Nicolas Larocque-Marcous had a goal and two assists for Cornwall, which also got singles from David Croteau and Greg Moore. The River Kings outshot the Eperviers 38-34.
Next Friday night, Cornwall travels to Laval to take on the Predateurs. The River Kings are back on home ice Saturday, Jan. 16, when St-Georges visits the civic complex. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m.