Grigorenko hat trick leads Quebec over Gatineau

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Led offensively by Mikhail Grigorenko’s hat trick the Quebec Remparts won 5-3 over the Gatineau Olympiques. The win was Patrick Roy’s 300^th since taking the reins of his team.
 

“Yes, an honor like that is always significant,” the Quebec coach said about his 300^th wins in his young coaching career. “Do I think one day to be there? Honestly the answer is no, I’m very happy that happened to me. On the other end, I want to give credit to peoples surrounding me. We have partners like Jacque Tanguay, Michel Cadrin, Mr. Desmarais they were always there supporting me in all decisions I made. We always worked as a team. I also think to Claude Rousseau, a person with whom I have had lots of discussions giving good advice and Nicole Bouchard who help me out on everything. She helps me tremendously. She practically is the general manager.”
 
In contract to Gatineau’s last visit (12-1 loss) in le Colisee Pepsi, the Olympiques began the game on much better note forcing Quebec netminder to make key saves to prevent the visitor to get on board first.
 
Quebec opened the scoring on Grigorenko’s first of the night 10:25 into the opening period but Gatineau replied with the next two goals in 2:36 ending the first period leading 2-1. Quebec had 14 shots on goal on Francois Lacerte against 10 on Quebec goalie Francois Brassard.
 
Gatineau’s first goal came only 23 seconds after Quebec’s first when Olympiques defenseman Garrett Clarke slap shot from left faceoff circle beat Quebec goalie high on his left side. Jacob Conrad surprised Quebec netminder with a low shot 2:36 later giving to the visitor their only lead of the game 2-1 after one period of play.
 
“We played a good hockey in the first two periods,” Gatineau head coach Benoit Groulx said when questioned after the game about Quebec Russian forward performance. “We have two players who left the game for different reasons we felt minus two players early in the game and later we lost another one Alexandros Soumakis, we really felt in third period it was hard for us to follow. We began to make mistakes but fortunately our goalie was there in the third.”
 
Quebec came back in the second playing their best period of the game scoring three goals ending the middle frame with a 4-3 lead after trailing by one after first twenty minutes.
 
Unable to keep the rebound from Gabriel Desjardins shots, Jeremie Malouin took the rebound putting the puck behind Olympiques goalie for Quebec second goal at 8:54. Quebec regained the lead for second times in the game on Grigorenko 34^th of the year at 11:20.
 
Gatineau came back to tied the game at three all only 33 seconds after Quebec third goal. Yousseff Kabbaj got Gatineau third goal. Grigorenko third of the night gave Quebec the lead for good at 15:39 of second period with the only Quebec goal on six power play opportunities.
 
“Yes I was really happy,” the Russian forward said in the locker room after collecting 3 goals 1 assist in his team’s win. “I was nervous between the second and third periods. Already having three goals in the game I said to myself ‘to keep going trying to do my best in the third’.”
 
When asked if players talked about their coach’s possible 300^th victory Grigorenko said, “No, we knew we had to come out strong because we beat them 12-1 last game and they will come out strong tonight.”
 
Keeping Gatineau at 0 shot on goal in third period Quebec added a 5^th when Frederick Roy tipped the puck in for his 24^th of the season with only 1:42 gone in the period. Stopping 22 of the 26 shots he faced after forty minutes of play Francois Lacerte made 20 other saves in the third on Quebec 21 shots. Lacerte ended his game making 42 saves on Quebec 47 shots on goal.
 
Brassard on the other end made 15 saves on Gatineau 18 shots registering his 18 wins.
 
“Very satisfied of our team effort,” Quebec coach said after the game. “It was good in first period because the Olympiques played great. I told to my players they would come out strong tonight so it forced us to play good game and be solid if we would like to win that game.”
 
Quebec will play next game this Sunday facing the Victoriaville Tigres.
 
Two other games were on QMJHL schedule on Friday
Chicoutimi 4 vs. Blainville-Boisbriand 2
Prince Edward Island 3 vs. Rouyn-Noranda 5
  Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com