QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Coming back in front of their fans after splitting games in Quebec, Cape Breton had the last word against Quebec winning 6-5 in what was the most exciting game of the series. Bradley Lalonde scored the game-winner.
Leading by four twice in the game (4-0) and (5-1) Cape Breton saw their opponent scoring their five goals in 8:30 bringing back both teams to 5-5 score with less than five minutes remaining. A goal scored by defenseman Bradley Lalonde with 4:21 remaining
to the game gave the victory to Marc-Andre Dumont’s team leading the series 2-1.
Taking advantage of their first power play opportunity in the game Cape Breton broke the ice with the first goal of the game. Making key plays that led to first goal of the game by keeping the puck in Quebec territory Loik Leveille found Clark Bishop in the slot ready to take a shot.
Screaming Eagles center beat Quebec goaltender Callum Booth top corner with wrist shot with 12:59 to play in the opening period.
Loik Leveille gave Cape Breton a two-goal lead scoring his first of the playoff. Hi wrist shot hit the post to Quebec netminder right side before going in with 2:54 remaining in the first period.
Being 0-for-12 with a man advantage in six periods of plays Quebec picked up three other power play opportunities in the opening period but was unable to put the puck behind Screaming Eagles goaltender Alexandre Belanger blocking 9 Remparts shots. Booth has been beaten twice on eight shots on goal.
Already leading by two after the first twenty minutes, the home team added two more in the middle frame to lead 4-0 against Quebec.
Defending themselves following a penalty to teammate Leveille, Cape Breton scored their third goal in shorthanded situation. Losing the puck after being hit Quebec power forward Adam Erne can’t DO anything as Screaming Eagles center Marcus Hinds on breakaway put the puck behind Remparts netminder at 2:07.
The home team added a fourth goal 1:28 later. Being 1-in-1 with man advantage Cape Breton scores a second goal with the man advantage. Pierre-Luc Dubois wrist shot beat Quebec goalie to his right.
Allowing four goals on ten shots Quebec head coach decided to make a change replacing Callum Booth by Zachary Fucale who has been perfect the rest of the period blocking all eight shots he faced.
Shots on goal after two periods were 18-18 but on the most important scoreboard Cape Breton lead 4-0 after forty minutes of play. Cape Breton was 2-in-6 on power play after two periods. Quebec still been blanked 0-in-4.
Quebec finally broke the ice with a man advantage. After been 0-in-17 in eight periods of play Philippe Boucher’s team scores their first goal of the game on their fifth power plays chance in the game. Jerome Verrier one-timer left no chance to Screaming Eagles netminder Belanger as the puck hit top corner at 3:22.
Seeing their opponent cutting their leads to three goals Cape Breton replied to regain their four goals lead with Leveiller second of the game surprising Fucale who came to replace Booth in middle frame with a wrist shot finding tiny hole under Quebec goalie left arm at 4:43.
With the series tied 1-1 and seeing them trailing by four, Quebec came back scoring next four goals tying the score 5-5. In fact Quebec scores their five goals in 8:30.
Quebec scored a second goal with the help of man advantage. After Jerome Verrier who was the author of visitor first goal, saw his shot been stopped by Belanger Guillaume Gauthier took the rebound and put it behind Cape Breton netminder with 12:36 to go in third.
Less than a minute later Quebec came back with their third goal of the game reducing home team lead to two goals differences. Remparts defenseman Ryan Graves beat Cape Breton goaltender with slap shop beating Belanger on left side.
Adam Erne on breakaway brought visiting team to only goal behind Cape Breton as he scores his second of the playoff beating Belanger with a backhand shot.
Defenseman Raphael Maheux brought both teams back to square one as he took a rebound shot from Anthony Duclair scoring Quebec fifth goals at 11:58.
Forgotten on Quebec netminder right side Bradley Lalonde beat Zachary Fucale with 4:21 remaining to the game for what became the goal that finally made the difference in home team favor taking a 2-1 lead in their series against Quebec.
Game four of that series will be this Thursday night in Cape Breton.
Five other series were on QMJHL schedule for Tuesday.
Baie-Comeau 6 vs. Saint John 5
Shawinigan 3 vs. Halifax 2 (overtime)
Rimouski 8 vs. Victoriaville 1
Val-d’Or 6 vs. Rouyn-Noranda 2
Blainville-Boisbriand 2 vs. Gatineau 4
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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