QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — In a prelude of what could be the first round matchup between Quebec and Val-d’Or; Quebec won by the score of 6-2. Five different players scored Remparts goals and 13 of 18 Quebec players ended the game with a point.
Nothing led anyone to believe the kind of action in Val-d’Or in the first period on Wednesday night. Quebec visited the penalty box with the game only 37 seconds old, Remparts defenseman Alex Wall was called for tripping. The Quebec penalty unit did great job preventing the home team to draw the first blood.
Four goals were scored on 21 shots (14 by Quebec, 7 by Val-d’Or). Quebec scored two goals at even strength (first and third) with the second one has been scored with the help of a man advantage. The Foreurs scored their only goal of the period on their unique power play opportunity.
Quebec broke the ice on their fifth shot. Olivier Hinse gave himself an birthday present when he saw the puck crossing the goal line behind Foreurs goaltender Jacob Gervais-Chouinard, after getting great pass from Matthew Brown, at 5:46 of the opening period.
A penalty to Val-d’Or center Jean-Francois Leblanc gave Quebec an opportunity they didn’t miss. Vincent Barnard beat Foreurs netminder with one-timer giving no chance at all at 11:22.
Val-d’Or goaltender would certainly like to see Quebec third goal back since he has been beaten between his pads. Quebec defenseman Mikael Tam takes the shot from the blue line 1:17 seconds later.
Unable to pull the trigger on their first power play opportunity, Val-d’Or broke through on their second opportunity with a man advantage, Quebec defenseman Martin Lefebvre was in sin bin for tripping at 13:13. Instead of going behind Quebec netminder net Marc-Andre Begin found Leblanc who took a shot to beat Louis Domingue at 13:55.
Trailing by two after first period, Val-d’Or began the second period on a stronger note, but saw Quebec be very opportunistic.
Quebec added to their lead scoring two goals in the second period. First, Mathieu Lavalee who hadn’t scored in his last 33 games (last goal October 9, 2010) scored Quebec’s fourth one completing great play from Alexandre Grenier and defenseman Guillaume Rousseau at 10:17.
Being caught for too many men on the ice, Quebec scored their fifth goal in shorthanded situation. Remparts netminder Domingue made a great pass along the boards finding teammates Ryan Bourque who exchanges passes with Frederick Roy to finally beating Val-d’Or goaltender at 13:37 of second period.
For Roy it was his 22nd of the year, his third in those circumstances.
Losing the puck in the neutral zone Quebec defenseman Barnard saw Olivier Archambault pick up the puck and made a great pass to the author of Val-d’Or second goal in the game. Nicolas Larocque-Marcoux let a shot go that handcuffed Domingue 2:35 into third period.
John Audy-Marchessault closed Quebec offensive for the night with his 36th goal of the year at 13:25. Left alone near Foreurs netminder Marchessault get a backhanded pass from Joel Champagne from behind the goal his shot beat Gervais-Chouinard for Quebec sixth goal in the game.
Quebec will end their road trip playing Drummondville on Sunday, March 6. The Remparts will be home hosting their archrival the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Wednesday, March 9. For Guy Carbonneau it will be his first visit as new Saguenens head coach after firing Richard Martel.
Other games in the QMJHL
Cape Breton 0 vs. Prince Edward Island 8
Shawinigan 1 vs. Drummondville 4
Victoriaville 3 vs. Gatineau 4
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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