QUEBEC CITY P.Q.— The Quebec Remparts’ victories both in shootouts, 4-3 on Friday night against Gatineau Olympiques and 3-2 on Sunday afternoon against Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, were secondary, after Remparts defenseman Mikael Tam had been viciously hit on the head by Huskies center Patrice Cormier.
Tam fell on the ice victim of convulsions and left the ice on a stretcher for the hospital for further exam. The Cormier hit (elbow to the head) happened at 3:32 when both teams were in overtime with the score 2-2.
At the moment of the hit everyone in the arena was in shock. Teammates of Tam were afraid for a moment about their teammate’s life. Thanks to the rapid intervention of Remparts Therapist Philippe Fait.
After the injured player left the ice both teams ended the overtime period and the shootout without any real conviction, all Quebec Remparts players were anxious to see the game ended and left for the hospital to get news about their teammate. Fortunately the results of the scan and other exams were encouraging.
Tam remained under observation for next 48 hour. But again everyone in the organization still is in consternation about what happened.
Cormier a draft pick of the New Jersey Devils (second round pick 54th overall) in 2008 is a talented player mostly recognized as a power forward but it wasn’t the first time the Huskies’ recent acquisition hit another player with his elbow. He did the same thing in the World Junior Championship in an exhibition game against Swedish player Anton Rodin.
This unacceptable incident will be an excellent opportunity for the QMJHL as a league to make an example to teach to players in the league that gestures like this are not acceptable in the future. It will be an excellent chance to earn respect from other Junior Leagues in Canada.
Cormier is suspended indefinitely by the Commissioner Gilles Courteau, until a final decision is taken in this case.
Now, let’s get back to last Friday (January 15) game and the victory (4- 3 in shootout) over the Gatineau Olympiques.
Gatineau didn’t waste anytime taking a 2-0 lead in the first 3:32 of first period. Christian Ouellet (1:36) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau (3:32) beat Remparts goaltender Louis Domingue. Quebec cut Olympiques lead in half when Ryan Bourque scored first Remparts goal beating Maxime Clermont at 6:08. But Gatineau regained their two-goal lead 3:04 later on a power play when Alex Noel scored Olympiques’ third goal in the game.
Quebec scored the next two goals in the game to force both teams into overtime. Dmitry Kugryshev scored the only goal of the second period reducing Gatineau’s lead to only one at 17:07. Veteran winger and former Lewiston MAINEiacs player Danick Paquette acquired last summer by Quebec GM Patrick Roy tied the game at 3-3 with the only goal in third period at 12:58.
Neither teams scored in overtime leading them to the shootout. Dmitry Kugryshev and Christian Ouellet were successful in their respective first shots against Clermont and Domingue. Michail Stefanovich and Ty McGinn saw their shots being stopped by respective netminders. Quebec defenseman Martin Lefebvre played the hero in this game being successful in his attempted to beat Gatineau goaltender Clermont. Remparts goaltender Louis Domingue made the save against Alexandre Beaton to assure Quebec victory in first of two games in three days.
The game on Sunday (January 17) afternoon against Rouyn-Noranda wasn’t expected to be an easy one especially after recent acquisitions by Huskies General Manager.
Antoine Tardif would certainly like to see Jerome Gauthier-Leduc shot from the blue line back, since it was the one that beat him for the first Huskies goal in the game at 4:10 of the initial period. Christophe Losier with his eighth of the year gave a 2-0 lead to Rouyn-Noranda at 15:24. The Huskies also got the best in shots on goal leading 18-13.
Mikael Tam with the only goal in the second period reducing Roun-Noranda lead to only one goal beating Huskies goaltender Nicholas Champion with only 5:09 gone in the middle frame. Danick Paquette for the second time in as many games scored the tying goal in the third period leading both teams to play extra period.
Like the preceding game neither team scored in overtime forcing the exciting shootout. But followed Cormier elbow hit to Tam head 3:32 in the overtime everyone in the stand (2624) was in shock, you could heard a fly in the air excepted for couple stupid guys who yell some insanity. Everyone was concerned by what was just happened on the ice. No one seemed to have any interest in the final score.
Dmitry Kugryshev beat Huskies goaltender as Quebec first shooter, Antoine Tardif made the save on first shot by Jeff Desjardin. Like the game in Gatineau, Remparts defenseman Martin Lefebvre has been successful in his attempted beating Champion giving a 2-0 lead to Quebec in shootout. With a save against Huskies Sergey Ostapchuck, Quebec goaltender Antoine Tardif assured Quebec win over Rouyn-Noranda.
A slim consolation for every Remparts players considering what happened to their teammate.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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