QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Playing their third game in less than seventy-two hours the team coach by Gordie Dwyer ended their weekend on perfect notes signing a 3-2 wins over Quebec. With the scores tied 2-2 after two periods of play European center Filip Chlapik sealed visitor third wins over the weekend with his22nd goals of the year.
Quebec opened the scoring for 26th times this season showing a record of 19-6. Defenseman Nikolas Brouillard scores his 10th of the season on great pass from Guillaume Gauthier at 2:53.
Charlottetown tied the game on turnover on Quebec blue line. Losing the puck Quebec left winger Dmtro Timashov saw Oliver Cooper taking the puck making great pass to the author of Islanders first goal scored by Ross Johnson at 11:12.
First period has been marked by two fights. First one saw Charlottetown Quin O’Brien and Yanick Turcotte. The second one was between Islanders Spencer Cobbold and Marc-Olivier Roy.
The visitors took the lead for first time in the game as Alexandre Goulet took a rebound shot from Dexter Weber beating Fucale scoring his 28th of the season at 6:10.
Like Charlottetown did in first period after seeing Quebec breaking the ice taking a 1-0 lead, Philippe Boucher’s team came back to tie the game two goals-a-piece with Massimo Carozza pushed the puck under McDonald right pad after the Islander goaltender made the first save on Nikolas Brouillard shot. Carozza goal came 4:26 after Charlottetown second goal.
As McDonald did at the beginning of the middle frame against Quebec center Kurt Etchegary when he made glove save, the Islander netminder made another key saves this time against defenseman Ryan Graves this time with his right pad.
Feeling the pressure in the corner coming from Alexandre Goulet Timashov loses the puck to Chalottetown left winger who repaired his teammates Filip Chlapik scoring what became the game winning goal for Charlottetown to sign their third victories over the weekend.
“We are happy of the result but we are very happy about the process,” Charlottetown head coach Gordie Dwyer. “I think we played sixty minutes we were ready to play it is a good sign for our team after three games in three days. To get three victories on the road it is mission accomplished for us over the weekend.”
“We knew it was a big road trip for us we work extremely hard since the beginning of the year to develop and find an identity and I think lately we have a buy in from all our players to know what it takes to have success. This road trip is very good to solidify our point.”
On the other side it was a second loss in as many nights. After losing the night before against Moncton the team was unable to win against the Islanders cumulating a 1-7 record in their last eight games.
“If we have to work our chemistry like we did at the beginning of the year we will do it again (playing pinball) but I’m tired of excuses,” answered Quebec head coach in referring to question from a reporter about the team chemistry that could be better.
“We have some players who played real good game but it is just not everyone. It is the kind of weekend we could have had four points but we didn’t have had one. It was the result that count. You have teams that guys doesn’t like each other but they win games.
For one Quebec center Marc-Olivier Roy who began the game being the center of the fourth line following his penalty in the game before that cost the game to his team did not appreciate to play as fourth center man.
“I will say that it motivate me before the game,” said the veteran 20 year old center. “I expected it a bit but I wasn’t frustrated but it shake me. So I wanted to change my game a bit. I think it will help me. To play like a fourth center it will be good for me for the up-coming practice during the week.”
Quebec next game will be next Friday hosting the Halifax Mooseheads.
Three other games were on QMJHL schedule on Sunday
Saint John 5 vs. Sherbrooke 6
Halifax 4 vs. Cab Breton 5 (overtime)
Moncton 3 vs. Rimouski 7
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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