Val-d’Or wins in OT

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Trailing twice in the game, Val-d’Or found a way to come from behind winning in overtime, 5-4.

 
Trailing by one after twenty minute on a goal scored on a power play by Michael McNamee at 6:16, the Foreurs saw Quebec take a 2-0 lead early in second frame on goal scored by Anthony Duclair 18^th of the season with only 2:08 into the period.
 
Already playing without important players in their lineup, (Michael Srensen, Mikhail Grigorenko, Vincent Barnard) the Remparts lost another key player to knee injury. Victim of a knee-to knee collision with Alex Filiatrault (who had been ejected at 20:00 in second period) Duclair who has had a point in his last 8 games left the game. First analysis of the injury suggests the Quebec left winger will be out between 7 to 10 days.
 
Asked to comment on the incident, Val-d’Or head coach Narc-Andre Dumont said, “It was a knee-to knee check for me, we have been victim of the same kind of check last night. Our player Michael Beaudy was hit by Simon Darveau and he just received two minutes. It happened really fast, the defensive player doesn’t want to let the other player go, the offensive one doesn’t want to be hit, so one leg went on one side, the other stay on the other side, it’s very deplorable, it wasn’t a gesture you like to see for an opponent or a teammates, it’s unfortunate.”
 
Talking about the game itself, Val-d’Or coach recognized the game was like Russian mountain that can go one side or the other, “Trailing 2-1 and 4-2, the game was really a tight game honestly, it was good thing for us to be able to win the game when it was your third games in three nights.”
 
Entering the third period Val-d’Or successfully killed the five minutes penalty to Filiatrault following the knee hit on Duclair. Killing that penalty seemed to give momentum and the energy to the visitor scoring three goals in 51 seconds.
 
“Being able to kill that penalty, (Filiatreault end of second period) seemed to give us the energy. That give us the chance to our more offensive players (not playing for the five minutes) to get the energy giving us what we needed to get that victory.” Related Foreurs head coach Dumont.
 
After Michael Beaudry reduced Quebec lead to one goal 2-1 with his 14^th of the season at 10:17 of second period, Val-d’Or scored next three goals in third period in 51 seconds to take the lead for first time in the game 4-2. Goals by Cedrick Henley (power play) (10:41), Mathieu Theriault (11:08) and Anthony Mantha (11:32) transformed a one goal deficit in taking the by two.
 
“The goal with the man advantage opened the valve and gave us confidence and the energy to bring the puck on goal and get quality shots. The goal by Mathieu Theriault (lose puck in the slot) was a perfect example,” Dumont said.
 
Trailing by two with the crowd (11,825) behind them Quebec scored next two goals to bring both team back to square one. Alexandre Contois (power play) 13:04 and young rookie Kurt Etchegary (16:30) tied the game 4-4 forcing both teams to play in overtime.
 
The teams traded scoring chances but with one second left on the scoreboard the second goal by Anthony Mantha close the book for the night for Quebec losing for a fifth times in their last 7 games 1-5-1.
 
“I realized that we might ask too much to several players, some got too many minutes and with all these minutes they can’t maintain their intensity. I proud of one thing, at 4-2 our players didn’t let it go, they continued to persevere we came back to tie the game 4-4, the puck did not bounce for us. In third it began to miss lots of players,” Quebec head coach Roy said after the game.
 
“I’m not happy at the beginning of the game because we gave too many scoring opportunities but if we excluded that part, I’m happy about our performance. I don’t like to lose but in same time I must be realist, guys worked hard 46 shots on goal we just missed some good hands at certain occasion in front of the goal.”
 
Francois Brassard for Quebec made 29 saves on 34 Val-d’Or shots, Hugo Campeau made 42 saves on Quebec 46 shots.
 
Quebec’s next game will be at home hosting the Shawinigan Cataractes on Friday and Drummondville on Saturday.
 
Four other games were on QMJHL schedule on Saturday
Rouyn-Noranda 2 vs. Rimouski 3 (shootout)
Shawinigan 2 vs. Acadie-Bathurst 1 (shootout)
Chicoutimi 3 vs. Prince Edward Island 6
Drummondville 0 vs. Saint John 3
 
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com