Halifax make history winning game seven in OT

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Trailing three times in game seven (0-1), (1-3) and (3-4) the Halifax Mosseheads made history being the fourth team to

successfully win a series after losing the first three games in a series. Halifax captain Caremon Critchlow fourth goal in the game pushed both teams into overtime. Already getting two assists in the game left winger Jonathan Drouin put an end to the suspense in the fourth period leading his team to 5-4 win over Quebec.
 
Already losing two leads (0-1) and (1-3) Quebec thought they have had the lead for good when Adam Erne scored Remparts’ fourth goal taking the lead for third time, 4-3. But a penalty for hooking to defenseman Marc-Antoine Carrier forced home team to have to kill penalty.
 
Putting pressure in Quebec defensive zone, a shot by Halifax defenseman Konrad Abeltshauser from the blue line hit the glass behind Quebec goalie and Mosseheads captain Cameron Critchlow hit the puck in the air giving no chance to Quebec netminder Louis Domingue to make the save. Already scoring three goals in the game Mosseheads captain fourth one pushed both teams in overtime.
 
After missing several chances to end the game Quebec saw Drouin put an end to the overtime with his eighth goal of the current playoff.
 
“One of the best feeling I have in my life, “said the one who came to Halifax in mid-season from the Midget AAA. “Scoring goal after trailing 4-3 at the end is the best feeling I ever have up to now.“
 
“Nathan MacKinnon took first shot, the puck hit a player’s skate and I just try to shoot the puck and it went in,” said the author of the goal that made history, when asked to describe the goal.
 
Used to score the first goal in the game Halifax saw Quebec score first in game seven when Mikael Tam the Quebec captain saw his wrist shot hit the goal post before going in at 13:32 of the opening period.
 
Playing his last year with the team the Remparts captain wasn’t interest to discuss anything related to the game itself.
 
“I don’t want to discuss the game,” Tam said after the game. “We lose but we played great game, I think guys worked very hard. It has been five great years with Quebec, I can’t thank them enough for all they did for me and great moments I had with the team. Like I said to the guys it wasn’t just the great organization in the league, it’s probably the best organization in the world.”
 
Seeing the opening Anthony Duclair doubled Quebec lead 2-0 when his shot went between Mosseheads goalie’s pads with a backhand shot 1:28 into the second periods.
 
Halifax captain Critchlow reduced Quebec lead in half with his first goal of the night with a man advantage at 3:35.
 
Quebec regained their two goals lead also on a power play. Trying to make a pass Halifax defenseman Konrad Abeltshauser saw his pass being intercepted leading to Logan Shaw sixth goals of the playoff beating Zachary Fucale at 13:13.
 
Halifax came back 3:32 later with Critchlow’s second goal of the night. Unable to push the puck out of his zone Quebec veteran defenseman Vincent Barnard (who played with injury) wasn’t able to prevent Halifax captain to beat Domingue on short side.
Halifax tied the game for third times with Critchlow third goal of the night with only 43.2 seconds on scoreboard.
 
Losing the lead twice in first forty minutes Quebec regained the lead 4-3 with Adam Erne 2^nd of the playoff. Driving to the net the young power forward put the puck behind Fucale with 13:41 to play.
 
Already being 1-in-2 with a man advantage the penalty to Quebec defenseman Carrier gave to Halifax an unexpected chance to try to get the equalizer. And following a shot from the blue line by Abeltshauser, the puck came back in the air and hit by Critchlow who scored his four goals of the game at 12:35.
 
The last team to come back from 0-3 was Cape Breton over Chicoutimi 11 years ago in 2001.   “It has had to be written in sky to have an end like this, the series has been really thigh that it should have ended like this” said Halifax head coach Dominic Ducharme after seeing his team makes history. “They came out very strong, for the first time in the series we gave up the lead but we showed lots of character to come back the way we did.”   On the other side Patrick Roy was disappointed the way it ended but was very proud of is team.   “I didn’t meet the players after the game, I think everyone was very disappointed but on the other hand I have to say they worked until the end, we would like to rebound tonight and that’s what we did. We let them came back in that series. But tonight they gave all they had in that game.   Two other quarterfinal series were on QMJHL schedule on Tuesday Chicoutimi 3 vs. Shawinigan 2 ( Chicoutimi wins series 4-3) Rimouski 5 vs. Blainville-Boisbriand 4 ( Rimouski wins series 4-3)   Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com    

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