Quebec needs overtime to defeat Baie-Comeau

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — In a game without any signification for the home team, Quebec earned their 48^th victory and third 100-point season in their last six regular seasons winning 3- 2 in overtime. The second goal of the game by Frederick Roy made the difference in favor of the visiting team.
 
After a scoreless second period, the teams traded goals in the first 9:00 of third period keeping the score 2-2 until the final buzzer indicated the necessity to go at least to overtime to find a winner.
 
With only 20 seconds gone in the overtime referee Pascal St-Jacques signaled a penalty to Baie-Comeau defenseman Alexandre Chenevert for cross-checking, opening the door for the best power play team in the league. Quebec pulled the trigger only 27 seconds after Chenevert penalty began with Roy 26^th goal of the year giving to Quebec the victory.
 
For head coach Mario Pouliot, he expect his players to show some respect for fans coming to see the team all year by offering a good performance against the third best team in the QMJHL to end the 2010-11 regular season on good note after losing their last two games by the same score 7-0.
 
For goaltender Jason Missiaen (signed as free agent from the OHL Peterborough), defenseman Hugo Laporte (coming from Gatineau Olympiques) and forward Maxime Gravel (formerly playing for Quebec Remparts) game number 68 meant the end of their junior career
 
Quebec opened the scoring on their third shot on goal. Frederick Roy tipped in a shot from the blue line by Quebec defenseman Vincent Barnard beating Baie-Comeau veteran goaltender with 10:28 to play in first period.
 
Baie-Comeau tied the game on a turnover in the Quebec zone. Quebec defenseman Alex Wall saw his pass attempt hit another player’s skates ending on Andrew Meredith stick. Meredith found Lukas Cingel in the slot beating Quebec goaltender Jimmy Appleby with a wrist shot at 13:44.    
 
The second period was played with neither team being able to break the tie. Except for several saves from both goaltenders and the first penalty in the game going to Quebec center Joel Champagne with 6.2 seconds remaining, fans didn’t have anything to be excites about.
 
It was clear both teams played the second period without running any risk of seeing one of their players being injured.
 
Remparts netminder Appleby would see Baie-Comeau second goal back, after seeing Samuel Noreau, beat him with a shot from the point, going between his pads with only 1:53 gone in the third period.  
Quebec came back tying the score 2-2 on Mirko Hoefflin 14^th goal of the year. Hoefflin redirect a pass from Barnard beating Missiaen on his right side 8:36 into third period.
 
A penalty to Baie-Comeau defenseman Alexandre Chenevert with only 20 seconds gone in the overtime opened the door to Quebec. John Aud-Marchessault found Roy who scored the game winning goal only 27 seconds after Chenevert penalty began.
 
For Baie-Comeau the 2010-11 regular season ended with a 47^th loses they only got 12 victories. For Quebec they will begins their preparation for the first round opponent next Friday March 25 hosting the Val-d’Or Foreurs for the first two games. Second game will be on Saturday March 26.  
 
Other games in QMJHL
Cape Breton 4 vs. Halifax 2
Acadie-Bathurst 7 vs. Moncton 1
Prince Edward Island 2 vs. Saint John 7
Lewiston 3 vs. Chicoutimi 1
Montreal 2 vs. Gatineau 5
Drummondville 3 vs. Val-d’Or 2 (overtime)
Shawinigan 6 vs. Rouyn-Noranda 4
Rimouski 6 vs. Victoriaville 3  
 
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com