Quebec loses weekend games against Drummondville and Lewiston

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QUEBEC CITY P.Q.— The Quebec Remparts opened weekend on Friday February 26 facing the best QMJHL team the Drummondville Voltigeurs in last ten games being shutout 3-0. Back on the ice the next day on Saturday, they faced a team involved in a battle for a playoff spot Lewiston MAINEiacs losing for second time in a row by the score of 5-4.
 
Already playing with key players out of lineup due to injuries (defensemen Mikael Tam, Patrick Cusack, forwards Ryan Bourque and Matthew Brown) and having to face Drummondville was possibly too much to ask for Patrick Roy’s team.
 
Leaded offensively by Sean Couturier (two goals) the talented forward who will certainly be claim in first two rounds at the next NHL entry draft played another very solid game helping his team to a 3-0 wins over the Quebec Remparts.
 
Underlining his right hand center performance Drummondville head coach Mario Duhamel was the first to praise his young forward great effort for the night. “Sean played pretty strong game tonight. Beside his offensive contribution, he played very well winning most of his one-on-one battle along the board.”  
 
The visitor didn’t waste time before inflicted the first wound to their opponent when the young 17 year old Couturier opened the scoring only with 1:06 gone in first period, completing great work by Gabriel Dumont Christopher DiDominico. Tomi Ritter scored Drummondville second goals in the game more than three minutes later at 4:39. With already five minutes gone in first period you could already have a good indication the game would be tough one for the home team.
 
The recent acquisition by the Voltigeurs at the trading deadline and former Montreal Junior netminder Jake Allen shut the door to Quebec team making 22 saves for his second shutout in regular season. Centering first Drummondville line between Christopher DiDominico and Gabriel Dumont the young 6’ 04: 193 pound Couturier scored his second goals of the game in second period beating Louis Domingue at 14:06.
 
Talking about the game Voltigeurs head coach Duhamel didn’t agreed when one reporter suggested his team played almost perfect game on the road.
 
“We were very satisfied about the way we played tonight; I don’t agree we played almost perfect game because we gave them several good scoring chances with penalties against us for high sticking, a five-on- three that could turn out to be key in the game. We are far away of playing perfect game but I’m very satisfied about our player’s performance tonight. We showed them that we came here to compete scoring first two goals in the game silencing the crowds. That’s what you should do against a team like Quebec. We knew the Remparts played without two important players on defense so by pressing their young defense it worked for us.”
 
On Quebec side head coach Patrick Roy was the first to recognize his team didn’t began the game the way his team should. “We didn’t play the way we should have to begin the game; we have had couple turnovers that were very costly. They (Drummondville) are second overall in the league, it isn’t for nothing.” They are on the job; they play with intensity and work hard every game. They have a young kid in Sean Couturier who plays very well, they are very lucky to be able to count on a player who is so dominant in the game.”
 
“I’m satisfied of Louis Domingue worked tonight,” continue Roy after the game. “He was the principal reason why we came out only trailing by two after one period. It easily could be three or four nothing if it wasn’t for Domingue effort blocking 14 out of 16 shots in the opening period.”
 
The Quebec goaltender made 33 saves on 36 shots on goal for the night.
 
“We have to recognize we played a team that is far better than our team working very hard night in night out and they are one of two or three best team in the league.” Roy said before leaving the press conference room after the game.
 
After playing against one of best team in QMJHL, The Lewiston MAINEiacs a team fighting for a playoff spot was the visitor. Leaded by two (4-2) after forty minutes, Quebec found a way to loses the game, seeing two of their players Marc-Olivier Vallerand (18:38) and Guillaume Rousseau (19:15) being sent to penalty box for two minutes giving a five-on-three power play advantage.
 
The MAINEiacs didn’t miss the opportunity served on a silver plateau and scored the game winning goal at 19:32. Michael Chaput beat Louis Domingue giving to Lewiston a 5-4 victory.
 
Quebec scored first two goals in the game in 1:02 seconds when Maxime Gravel on a power play at 11:26, and Jonathan-Audy Marshessault at 12:28 gave the home team two goals lead. But less than five minutes later Cameron Clitchlow cut Quebec lead in half with first Lewiston goal at 17:12.
 
Lewiston came back in second period tying the game at two with only 1:22 gone. Jess Tanguy with the help of former Quebec promising defenseman Samuel Carrier and Francis Beauvillier brought both teams back to square one, 2-2.
 
Danick Paquette who came to Quebec in multiple players’ trade last summer with Lewiston helped his team to regain two goals lead with his 28th and 29th goals of the season, the first one at 7:44, the other at 15:01.
 
Ending the game with three points (2-1) against his former teammates Paquette was first to admit certain of his teammates weren’t all on the job. “Guys will have to understand that we need to follow Patrick game plan for sixty minutes if we want to win.” Said the one who wear number 47 for the Remparts.
 
Third period belonged to the MAINEiacs with three goals scored. Samuel Henley 3:38 and Tanguy (Jess) with his second of the night at 12:18 tied the score at four goals-a-piece before Chaput came with his 26th of the regular season with two men advantage to seal Quebec fate with Lewiston fifth goal of the game.
 
“Trailing by two after forty minutes our players were responsible in third coming back with three goals,” the Lewiston head coach Jean-Francois Houle said after the game. “We scored one goal at the time to come back; we showed lots of character I’m very proud of our young players.”
 
Still involved in fight for playoff spot with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, Lewiston needs all wins they can get. “Winning game where ever they come is always welcome. Looking at the scoreboard I knew Baie-Comeau won their game so I didn’t felt good behind our bench trailing by two after forty minutes. Guys worked hard and our goaltender Adrien Lemay kept us in the game making lots of big saves, in fact he was like that for the majority of the time since Christmas.”
 
 
Next Game for Patrick Roy’s team will be this Thursday March 4th against Victoriaville Tigres. Good new for the team since defenseman Mikael Tam and Patrick Cusack will be back.
 
 
 
 
 
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com

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