QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — With the score tied 3-3 after two periods of play, Quebec scored twice in the third leading to a 5-3 win over Baie-Comeau Drakkar. Anthony Duclair’s second of the night, his 17th of the year, made the difference.
Baie-Comeau began the game with strong play taking seven shots with Felix Girard getting the two best scoring chances for the Drakkar.
Ranked fourth on the power play, scoring 33 goals in 133 opportunities, Baie-Comeau was the beneficiary of four minutes in penalties to Quebec veteran forward Frederick Roy one for high stick, the other for unsportsmanlike conduct. Quebec second on penalty killing giving 21 goals in 130 occasions successfully killed Drakkar power play.
After drawing the first blood with Raphael Bussiere 12th of the year redirecting a shot from Jonathan Lessard between Quebec netminder pads at 14:35, Baie-Comeau saw Quebec replied with 3 goals in 1:04 seconds.
Unable to control the rebound following a shot from Mikhail Grigorenko, former Quebec netminder Jimmy Appleby saw veteran forward Roy put the puck behind him 17 seconds after the Drakkar opened the scoring.
Quebec took the lead with Duclair’s first of the night putting the puck behind Appleby only 15 seconds after Quebec’s first goal. Martin Lefebvre completed the scoring for Quebec in the first period with a one-timer high on Appleby’s left side at 15:56.
After allowing 3 goals on Quebec 8 shots on net, Drakkar head coach Mario Pouliot pulled his starting goaltender sending veteran Antonio Mastropietro formerly playing for the Victoriaville Tigres.
Baie-Comeau returned in their locker room dominating 15- 8 in shots on goal in the opening period but trailed by two on the main scoreboard 3-1.
Baie-Comeau came back in second period scoring their second goal on a three-on-two breakaway. Lessard scored Drakkar’s second goal taking a rebound from defenseman Julien Lepage at 11:10.
Playing on their fourth power play following a penalty to Quebec right winger Grigorenko, Baie-Comeau tied the game 3-3 on Carl Gelinas 17th goal of the year on a four-on-three power play at 16:52.
While Baie-Comeau led in shots on goal after the first period but trailed on the main scoreboard, the Drakkar came back in second tying the score doubling the shots on goal 30-15 against Quebec.
Getting around Drakkar defenseman Samuel Carrier along the board, Duclair drove to the Baie-Comeau net and scored his 17th of the season giving for a 4-3 lead for Quebec at 11:46. Alexandre Contois scored in an empty net for Quebec;s final marker 18:41 sealing Quebec victory for a 14 consecutive time.
Quebec will return home playing two games before the Christmas break hosting the Prince Edward Island on Friday. On Sunday, the Remparts will face off against the Acadie-Bathurst Titans.
One other game was on the QMJHL schedule Tuesday
Acadie-Bathurst 3 vs. Halifax 4
QMJHL news and notes: Playing his first game in the QMJHL Jonathan Drouin got his first two points (2 assists) on Halifax goals scored by Alexandre Grenier.
Elsewhere in Juniors: The National Junior team cut seven players from their training camp on Tuesday morning. The Western Hockey League Red Deer defenseman Mathew Dumba, QMJHL Rimouski defenseman Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Brenden Kichton of the Spokane Chiefs, Mark McNeil of the Prince Albert Raiders, Brandon Wheat Kings forward Michael Ferland, Saint John Sea Dogs forwards Zack Phillips and the Kootenay Ice forward Max Reinhart all got the bad news from the coaching staff. Final cut will be announced on Wednesday morning.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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