QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — For a second time over the weekend, Quebec found a way to win in overtime. The second goal scored by Quebec Captain Mikael Tam with 3.5 seconds remaining in the game gave Quebec their second victory in less than twenty-four hours.
Trailing by two (4-2) in the second period (12:54), Patrick Roy’s team found a way to come back in the game to force OT. Trailing by two with 12:54 gone in middle frame, the first goal of the night by Quebec captain Tam cut Chicoutimi lead to one goal with a power play goal with 19.4 seconds remaining in the second stanza.
Alexis Dufour brought both teams back to square one with Quebec’s fourth goal. For the left winger it was his second goal of the season with 7:18 gone in third period.
Chicoutimi opened the scoring with Nicholas Therrien’s 10th of the season. Therrien’s slap shot from inside the blue line went through some players’ legs hitting the post before the puck went in at 3:19.
A great checking effort in the offensive zone by Joel Champagne and Frederick Roy led to the first Quebec goal by John Audy-Marchessault at 14:29. Champagne found Marchessault left alone in front of Chicoutimi netminder Robin Gusse beating the Sagueneens goaltender for his 20th goal of the regular season.
But before the first period ended, both teams traded goals to end the period 2-2. Chicoutimi center Simon Lebel gave a 2-1 lead with a wrist shot beating Domingue top corner on his right side with 1:22 remaining.
Richard Martel’s team thought they would go back to their locker room leading by one after one period of play, but Quebec had other ideas. With 46.9 seconds remaining Frederick Roy wrist shot beat Sagueneens goaltender for Remparts second goal in the opening period. If Champagne and Roy did great for checking jobs on Marchessault goals, Champagne and Marchessault did the same on Roy’s 13th of the year at 19:13.
Chicoutimi regained the lead on Enrik Guillemette 11th goal of the season. Quebec’s Vincent Barnard lost the puck to Sags forward Charles Hudon who went on a two-on-one with Guillemette who beat Domingue 5:46 into second period.
A penalty taken by Roy for tripping at 12:29 led to Chicoutimi first power play goal of the game on their second opportunity. Guillaume Asselin found Eric Gelinas who beat Quebec the netminder with a one timer from the blue line giving to Chicoutimi a two goals lead for the first time 25 seconds after Roy began his penalty.
Quebec reduced Chicoutimi lead to one goal scoring their third goal in the game on their first power play opportunity in the game. Already in the penalty box for interference Sagueneens forwards Pierre-Carl Marrion can’t do anything when Quebec defenseman Mikael Tam pushed the puck in a cage left empty by Chicoutimi netminder Gusse with 19.4 seconds remaining in the second period.
Unable to keep a rebound from Quebec center Mathieu Girard’s shot that hit Sagueneens goaltender’s left pad, Alexis Dufour tied the game 4-4 with his second goal of the season pushing the rebound behind Gusse at 7:18 of third period.
A penalty to Chicoutimi rookie Charles Hudon with 44 seconds remaining in the third period gave their opponent the chance to end the third period and to begin the overtime with the power play unit on the ice. Unfortunately for Quebec and thanks to Robin Gusse and Chicoutimi three players who were on the ice to kill that penalty Quebec wasn’t able to convert on that penalty.
But with 3.5 seconds remaining in overtime, the second goal by Tam sealed Chicoutimi’s fate putting the last nail in Sagueneens coffin giving Quebec the 5-4 victory.
For Quebec, this game against Chicoutimi was their last game before Christmas, the team will return to action on Monday December 27th facing the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
On the other end, the last period of trade begins on December 19th and will run until January 6 2011. It will be interesting to know who will change address during that period.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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