Quebec wins 7-3 over Rouyn-Noranda

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Back home after playing the last two games in the Maritimes Quebec rallied from two goals down to win. Quebec’s third line played solid hockey totaling six points from Mathieu Lavallee (1g-1a), Jeremie Malouin (0g-1a) and Alexandre Contois (1g-2a).
 
Trying to kill a penalty to teammates Alexis Bernier the Rouyn Noranda Huskies scored first when the shot by Sven Andrighetto was partially stopped by Louis Domingue but trickled in at 9:03.
 
Three minutes later Dillon Fournier picked up a loose puck near Quebec’s crease scoring his sixth of the season during a penalty to Domingue for delay of game.
 
Quebec replied with two goals in one minute. Playing with a man advantage, Quebec defenseman Ryan Culkin’s wrist shot beat Rouyn-Noranda’s Robin Gusse to his left.   Lavallee, with his second of the year evened the score at 2.
 
Before the first period end, Quebec took the lead for first time in the game with Michael McNamee 12^th of the season at 19:07.
 
For Rouyn-Noranda head coach Andre Tourigny it was a question of time after they loses one of their best defenseman Dillon Fournier to see Quebec coming from behind to win the game.
 
“It wasn’t funny to see our best defenseman leave the game after being injured. We knew our defensemen were over utilized we don’t have a defensive unit old enough to be able to play without our best defenseman,” said the Huskies head coach Tourigny.
 
“Dillon played over 20 to 25 minutes each game so we don’t have any other defenseman able to cover these minutes without been affected. After 39 minutes the game was tied 3-3 but at the end it was 7-3. If you look the final result no I’m not too happy but we were there for 40 minutes but in third period a multitude of factors turn things around.”
 
In the second period, the   teams traded goals. The Huskies tied the game 3-3 on a five-on-three power play.
 
With less than three minutes remaining in the period Quebec regained the lead when Anthony Duclair redirected a shot from Martin Lefebvre.
 
Quebec came back in the third adding three more goals sealing the victory. Owen Werthner, Contois (two other assists) and Lefebvre completed the scoring.
 
“Maybe we took the Huskies lightly in the first period but we talked to each other between periods and we shown our true face,” said Contois who ended his night with three points. For Quebec head coach Patrick Roy he didn’t appreciated the way his team played in first period but he like the way his team played in the third.
 
“In the first, it wasn’t too bad, in second we didn’t play we talked between the second and third,” said the Quebec head coach after the game. “I didn’t like the way we competed in first two periods, the second effort. The key is to move more when we are more resilient to make the second effort when we lose the fight along the board. We are more dangerous, we moved much better in the third periods than in the first two.
 
Quebec’s next game will be Sunday hosting the Val-d’Or Foreurs.
 
Elsewhere in the QMJHL: The Halifax Mooseheads announced on Friday their 2011 first round pick Jonathan Drouin will report to the QMJHL team over the weekend.
 
Refusing to come to Halifax training camp in August to keep his college eligibility the 16-year-old changed his mind and will join the Mooseheads this weekend.
 
Playing for the Lac St-Louis Lions in the Midget AAA the Dollars-des-Omeaux native amassed 53 points (22g-31a) in 22 games.
 
Coming in Montreal last week to meet the Drouin family, the Mooseheads owner, Bobby Smyth (formerly playing for Minnesota and Montreal in the NHL), made another attempt for the talented young kid to change his mind. The move seemed to accelerate the talks. Some compare Drouin to a young Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings.
 
“Adding another young gifted offensive player like Jonathan to our roster is exciting,” said the Mosseheads general manager Cam Russell to the Metro News in Halifax. “He’s joining a talented crop of players that fans will enjoy watching.”
 
The Mosseheads visit the PEI Rocket and Saint John Sea Dogs on Friday and Saturday. Halifax will host the Sea Dogs on Sunday afternoon.
 
Seven other games were on schedule in the QMJHL on Friday
Halifax 1 vs. PEI 6
Acadie-Bathurst 3 vs. Saint John 2
Rimouski 3 vs. Victoriaville 5
Val-d’Or 1 vs. Blainville-Boisbriand 6
Baie-Comeau 1 vs. Chicoutimi 2 (shoot out)
Cape Breton 2 vs. Gatineau 5
Drummondville 0 vs. Shawinigan 3
 
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com