QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — The Subway super series is a series of two games involving a selection of QMJHL best players against a selection of stars from Russia. These two games used to serve as a platform of evaluation for team Canada that will play in the World Junior Championship from December 26 to January 2.
For the first time since the series were implanted, the QMJHL lost their two matches against the Russian team in regulation. Last Monday, Team Quebec lost 5-4.
The QMJHL lost the second game on Wednesday, 4-3. The 2004 series was the only other time QMJHL lost their two games against Russia team but in shootouts.
On Monday night, it was a goal scored in the third period by defenseman Nikita Pivtsakin at 7:01 that made the difference in the first confrontation.
The QMJHL team began the game on a positive note when they opened the scoring only 1:43 into the first period, during their first power play opportunity in the game. Defenseman Nathan Beaulieu completed a great play by Philipp Danault.
Team Russia broke the ice less than four minutes later (5:29) when center Maxim Kitsyn beat Montreal Junior goaltender Jean-Francois Berube who had been designated as starting netminder by head coach Andre Tourigny.
Team QMJHL regained a one goal lead 2- 1 in a shorthanded situation. Defenseman Nicholas Deslauriers beat Russian starting goaltender Dmitry Shikin at 13:21 of the first period. Fans who were reunited in the Harbour Station arena in Saint John seemed to appreciate the spectacle.
The first period ended with the QMJHL leading 2-1.
Anton Budasov brought his team back in the game with Team Russia second goal beating Berube 2:20 into second period. But team QMJHL didn’t waste time before tying the game at two.
Michael Bournival (the Colorado Avalanche third round selection in 2010, was just traded Thursday to Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Ryan O’Byrne, got team QMJHL goal 1:02 seconds later.
Team Russia came back with their second goal in the period tying the score 3-3.
Center Denis Golubev beat new goaltender Olivier Roy at 5:19.
Before the middle frame ended, team QMJHL came back, with their fourth goal of the game. Alex Saulmier unassisted put his team ahead 4-3 at 9:09.
But two goals by team Russia in third period came to ruined great effort by team QMJHL losing first game of the Subways super series 5-4. Kitsyn with his second of the game 0:17 seconds into third period and Pivtsakin with what became the game winning goal at 7:01 completed the scoring for team Russia putting lots of pressure on team QMJHL for second game the last one in that series.
On Wednesday night, two goals in 2:57 in the second came to haunt team QMJHL for the second game in a row. Two goals scored by left winger Nikita Dvurechensky, first one at 6:47, the second at 9:44.
But the game winning goal for team Russia came from the stick of Artemiy Panarin 6:57 into third period.
Like the first game on Monday night team QMJHL opened the match drawing first blood by scoring the first goal of the game. Jonathan Brunelle 4:08 into the first period put a smile of all fans in Drummondville the site of the second game.
Team Russia tied the game 1:40 later when Vladimir Malinovsky beat Maxime Clermont for first Russian Team goal.
Defenseman Ryan Kavanagh scored to make it a 2-1 lead for Team QMJHL with his first goal of the two games series 3:14 into second period. But first of two goals scored by Dvurechensky (6:47) signaled the end for goaltender Clermont who usually protects the net of the Gatineau Olympiques. Enter Louis Domingue who tends goal for Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL.
Unfortunately, Domingue was unable to stop Dvurechensky who scored 2:57 later with team Russia third goal in the game, their second in second periods, giving a 3-2 lead to team Russia.
The QMJHL team scoried their third goal tying the score 3-3 with their team on a power play. Defenseman Brandon Gormley scored 2:26 into third period giving hope to the 3,335 fans in the arena.
Panarin scored team Russia’s fourth goal at 6:57 of the third thus silencing the crowd.
Team Russia will continue their series playing a selection of OHL players in London Thursday and next Monday.
Team Russia will end the Subway Super Series with two games against the Western Hockey League.
The two games will be on Wednesday November 17 and Thursday November 18.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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