QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Losing (0-4) against Victoriaville Friday night, Baie-Comeau came back on Sunday afternoon getting the last word on offensive battle against QMJHL first place overall in the standing Quebec Remparts winning 4-3. Leading 3-0 in first half of the game, the home team saw Quebec coming back cutting the leads to one goal twice but Baie-Comeau got the final word ending the weekend on victorious note.
Baie-Comeau broke the ice with 3:37 remaining in opening period. Samuel Dickner shot from the slot beat Quebec goaltender Dereck Baribeau. For Dickner it was his second goal of the regular season. Christopher Mercier- Ortiz and Simon Belanger got the assists.
Quebec best scoring chance came on a two-on-one breakaway with Olivier Garneau and Matthew Boucher. Boucher could have taken the shot but preferred to give back the puck to his teammate who wasn’t able to take real shot.
In an offensive second period Baie-Comeau adds two more goals taking leading (3-0) inside first eight minutes before Quebec replied with their first two goals in the game.
Drakkar defenseman Bradley Lalonde made the scores 2-0 Baie-Comeau as his long shot went over Baribeau right shoulder 4:26 into middle frame. Both teams were playing four-on-four following respective penalties to Quebec Loivier Mathieu and Baie-Comeau Hugo Savinski.
The home team came back less than three minutes later adding a third goal to their leads. Edward St-Laurent scored his first of the year with a shot from the slot beat Quebec netminder with 12:38 remaining in second periods.
Allowing three goals on 12 shots, Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher decided to make a goalie change sending Oliver Troop in facing six shots in middle frame.
Quebec got on board scoring their first goal at even strength. Baie-Comeau goaltender made first save on Quebec defenseman Etienne Verrette shot from the blue line, but unable to control the rebound Derek Gentile was there pushing the rebound behind Drakkar netminder Antoine Samuel with 4:08 left in middle frame.
Defenseman Christian Huntley has been credited of Quebec second goal when his shot from the blue line seem to deflect on Baie-Comeau player before going in with 1:12 remaining in second periods.
Baie-Comeau opened the third periods regaining their two goal leads with only 2:59 gone taking advantage of Quebec turnover by defenseman Etienne Verrette in neutral zone. Losing control of the puck in neutral zone Quebec defenseman saw Drakkar left winger Jordan Martel beat Oliver Troop under left arm.
Quebec replied with their third goals in the game cutting Baie-Comeau leads to only one goal for second times in the game as Mikael Robidoux redirected a shot from teammate Andrew Coxhead behind Drakkar goalie at 12:38 of the third periods.
Trying to score the equalizer goal, Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher pulled his goaltender Troop in favor of sixth attackers. But Drakkar goaltender Samuel successfully kept the door closed making key saves notably against Quebec left winger Luke Kirwan with less than a minute remaining.
Quebec dominated 15-10 in shots on goal in second lead 23-18 after forty minutes of play.
Quebec will have busy schedule with four games in next five nights with first stop in Blainville-Boisbriand.
Seven other games were on QMJHL schedule on Sunday
Saint John 2 vs. Charlottetown 6
Cape Breton 5 vs. Moncton 2
Acadie-Bathurst 2 vs. Sherbrooke 5
Rouyn-Noranda 4 vs. Gatineau 1
Drummondville 4 vs. Shawinigan 0
Chicoutimi 6 vs. Val-d’Or 1
Rimouski 0 vs. Victoriaville 2
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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