Acadie-Bathurst sweep Victoriaville earning place in President Cup final

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Already leading the semifinal series 3-0 Acadie-Bathurst played a great game working hard to finally get the last word on Victoriaville winning game four 4-3. Jeffrey Tuchon-Viel played very solid game ending with 2 goals 1 assist.

“We talked to each other before the game wanting to finish it as soon as possible,” answered Acadie-Bathurst Jeffrey Samuel L’Italien “We played a great game tonight we have had high and low tonight, Tigres fought real hard but we ended on top at the end. Our defense is very solid, I think we have the best defensive unit in the QMJHL Fitzpatrick is a great goaltender, he was one of the best in that series.” Continued L’Italien.

For Acadie-Bathurst head coach he has been the first to recognize his team effort in that fourth game, “We took it game by game,” answered Acadie-Bathurst head coach Mario Pouliot.

“We gave us an opportunity, tonight Tigres came out with the emergency feeling, even if we complicated our task, I think we made the good play in the right times. That gave us the chance to end the series. It is very important to play good game. To end the series like we did wasn’t the final objective, it was to compete, to pay attention the way we played with the puck, it is a process and we won the game that way.” Pouliot said.

“We have a good group at maturity good veteran, for once that meeting was short for me,” answered Titans head coach Pouliot referring to players meeting after a game in first round. “Some step up and talked since then in live you have two choice, one talking and doing good or walk the talk, action speak louder than words. Tip off to the players they did it very well.” Continued Titans head coach Pouliot.

Acadie-Bathurst opened the scoring in game four in Victoriaville. Samuel Asselin complete the great work from teammate Jeffrey-Truchon-Viel and Noah Dobson at 5:01.

Victoriaville came back tying the score with 9:24 remaining in the first period. Maxime Comtois shot from the slot his Acadie-Bathurst goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick before going in.

Dominated 16-9 in shots on goal Acadie-Bathurst scored two other goals in middle frame leading 3-1 after forty minutes of play.

Jeffrey Truchon-Viel gave the lead to his team for second time in the game, Elijah Francis got the only assist on Titans second goal at 3:19.

German Rubtsov scored the Titans third goals his fourth of the series at 8:44.

Beginning the third periods with 1:19 of power play Victoriaville cut Acadie-Bathurst lead to only goal. Dominic Cormier Shot deflected on teammate Felix Lauzon who scored his 11th of the playoff 2:17 into the period.

Victoriaville got a chance served on silver plateau as they are the beneficiary of five-on-three for 45 seconds following consecutive penalty to Ethan Crossman and Jeffrey Truchon-Viel. Unfortunately for the home team wasn’t able to take advantage of it neither the five-on-four.

Trailing by two with three minutes left on the clock Victoriaville head coach Louis Robitaille decided to pull his starting netminder Etienne Montpetit for sixth attackers. The move paid off as Tigres scored their third goals in the game. Ivan Kosorenkov beat Acadie-Bathurst Evan Fitzpatrick for Kosorenkov his fourth of the playoff with 1:27 left to play.

Victoriaville gave all the got trying to still alive and play gave five back in Acadie-Bathurst but unfortunately for them it was the end of their playoff run. “More the game advance, better we were,” answered Victoriaville head coach Louis Robitaille said. “We played a good game tonight, bottom line the special units made the difference. It was a one goal game where we had a five-on-three for 45 seconds without been able to capitalize.”

Acadie-Bathurst now will wait the winner between Blainville-Boisbriand and Charlottetown, Series is tied 2-2.

Other QMJHL semifinal series

Blainville-Boisbriand 3 vs. Charlottetown 4 (first overtime) (series tied 2-2)

Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com