QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — The Quebec Remparts opened their weekend of action confronted by the only undefeated team in the QMJHL in this young 2011-12 regular season, the Victoriaville Tigres. In an exciting game, the team coached by Patrick Roy answered the challenge with a solid performance winning their second game of the season.
Offensively, Quebec forward Mikhail Grigorenko (2g-1a) and Mikael Tam’s two goals led the Remparts offense, in goal the effort was like the first four games of the season with a solid performance from Francois Brassard making 33 saves on Victoriaville 36 shots. Victoriaville netminder David Honzik ended his game making 23 saves on Quebec 29 shots.
Victoriaville began the game on strong note trying to dictate the tempo of the game shooting 7 times in first 13:29 of play but thanks to Quebec goaltender who made several key saves the Quebec sixth round pick (92nd overall) in 2011 prevented the home team to break the ice.
Quebec opened the scoring on their second shot on goal when Mikhail Grigorenko (who saw young teammates Adam Erne and Anthony Duclair score their first in junior career in preceding games), finally got the first of his junior career, beating Victoriaville goaltender with a wrist shot high on Honzk’s right side at 7:32.
Victoriaville replied scoring the next two goals in less than two minutes taking a 2-1 lead on 14 shots. A penalty to Quebec rookie Erne for tripping, opened the door for the team coach by Yannick Jean.
Yannick Dube accepted a great pass from Yanni Gourde for Victoriaville first goal on Tigres first power play opportunity in the opening period.
Tigres took the lead for first time in the exactly with 12:00 gone in the period with Philippe Halley fourth of the regular season.
If Victoriaville has been successful tying the game on their only power play opportunity in first period, Quebec did the same bringing both teams to square one with a man up.
Tam took a rebound from Quebec right winger Grigorenko and beat Honzik at 15:10. Like the preceding game Quebec netminder played solid first period making 13 saves on Victoriaville 15 shots. Honzik who has had to leave the game seeing Brandon Whitney coming in for 1:20 came back in making 4 saves on Quebec 6 shots on goal.
Victoriaville took a 3-2 lead seeing a shot by Petr Sidlik from the blue line go through traffic in front Quebec goalie going in 5:03 into second period.
Quebec came back scoring the next two goals just over two minutes into the second. Tam, who already registered Remparts second goal with a man up, beat Tigres goalie for the second time during a power play. Tam’s goal came at 10:04.
Disorganized in their zone, Victoriaville head coach Jean saw his netminder saving his team making first save against Quebec forward Anthony Duclair left completely alone from the blue line against Honzik. Unfortunately the Tigres goalie wasn’t able to repeat in same circumstances against veteran forward Frederick Roy who put the puck behind Tigres netminder giving Quebec 4-3 after at 12:15.
Trailing by one with twenty minutes to go in the game, the Victoriaville fans hoped to see their favorites come from behind and stay undefeated. But solid like he used to since the beginning of the regular season Francois Brassard close the door on Tigres forwards who tried to beat him in the third.
Grigorenko, the Quebec right winger sealed Remparts second win of the season with an empty net goal with 29 seconds remaining in the game, handing Victoriaville their first defeat of the young season.
Quebec will end the weekend visiting the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Sunday afternoon.
Other games in busy Friday night in QMJHL
Rouyn-Noranda 2 vs. Halifax 3
Val-d’Or 4 vs. Saint John 5 (shootout)
Shawinigan 1 vs. Drummondville 2
Cape Breton 2 vs. Baie-Comeau 6
Blainville-Boisbriand 2 vs. Gatineau 6
Chicoutimi 5 vs. Rimouski 6 (shootout)
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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