Charlottetown wins game seven, eliminates Quebec

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — With the score being tied 2-2 after forty minutes of play all fans in the Videotron center still believe in their team chances to go in next round in playoff. But visitors had other idea beginning the third period scoring four goals in span of 3:52, first three goals in 53 seconds led Charlottetown to 8-3 win in game seven eliminating Quebec in their own building. Islanders veteran 20-year old Pascal Aquin earned first stars of that game scoring four goals.  

“Not weird for me,” answered Charlottetown head coach Jim Hulton as he was asked to comment his team scoring four goals in 3:52 seconds in beginning the third periods.

“The beauty thing for me is in game seven not of us can predict that in the third. The huge NHL play by Joseph to Aquin really happy for Pascal, disappointed by himself last night for taking bad penalty but our overages in game like tonight, your best players need to be your best players, well they were playing very well in second periods.” Islanders head coach Hulton said.

“We were bit lucky in that,” answered the first stars of the game Pascal Aquin talking about his team scoring four goals in span of 3:52. “In third period we came out strong and we never let it go. We told we never had anything to loose, like I said everyone thought we ended up 18th in the league, no one thought we could go there, we were tied 2-2 on the road and we told us we have to give all we got.” The author of four goals in the game Aquin.

Charlottetown opened the scoring for fifth time in the quarterfinal series. Saku Vesterinen from the blue line saw his shot been redirected by Pascal Aquin scoring his third of the series 2:28 into opening period. 

Quebec replied 57 seconds later with Andrew Coxhead second of the series taking a loose puck in the slot following first save by Matthew Welsh in Quebec defenseman Etienne Verrette

Charlottetown regained the lead in second periods 4:20 in. Taking first shot Islanders defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph saw his shot been deflected twice as right winger Daniel Hardie has been credited of visitors second goals in the game beating Quebec netminder on his left side.

Going 2-in-29 in series, 0-in 2, Quebec took advantage of their third power play opportunities as Charlottetown defenseman Olivier Desjardins was in penalty box. Philipp Kurashev shot from right face-off circle beat Islanders goalie over his right pad at 10:02. 

Pointing fingers at himself in last night loss for taking bad penalty preventing his team of important minute on power play veteran Charlottetown left winger Pascal Aquin took matter in his own hand. With the score being tied 2-2 after forty minutes of play Aquin who already scored first team goals adds three more in third period, fourth one been scored in an empty net.

Aquin gave back the lead to Charlottetown with his second of the night deflecting a shot from teammate defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph 28 seconds into third periods.

Charlottetown came back with next two goals in 19 seconds. Cameron Askew in a two-on-one breakaway completed great play by former Quebec Remparts Derek Gentile at 3:27. Sullivan Sparkes took his own rebound to beat Quebec netminder Samuel at 3:46.

Veteran 20 years old Aquin completed his hat trick with his second goal in third periods, his third in the game with 15:40 to play. Allowing four goals on first four shots into the third periods, Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher pulled his starting netminder sending Dereck Baribeau in.  

Quebec scores their third goal in the game as Olivier Garneau came from behind Islanders net taking a shot beating Charlottetown netminder Matthew Welsh 5:58 into third period.

Going 0-in-1 on power play in game seven, Charlottetown got their second power play following a penalty to Quebec defenseman Andrew Pico. Islanders defenseman Taylor Egan shot from the blue line deflected twice before going behind Quebec goalie Antoine Samuel who had been back in goal as veteran 20 years old at 10:35. Last goal in the game scored by Aquin in an empty net his fourth in the game at 15:50.

For Quebec captain he can’t find any explanation for the way his team began the third periods. “Honestly it was hard to explain,” Quebec center Matthew Boucher said.

“It can be easy to say we didn’t get out the way we would like. It the kind of thing that might happened in a game seven. I played one in my life it is always special. It’s hard to explain, hard to swallow but that is what happened.”

Another one for whom it was hard was veteran nerminder Antoine Samuel who played his last QMJHL junior game. “I didn’t know how to explain that, they have had scoring chances they were successful to put the puck in. In the moment I didn’t have any answer and wouldn’t have any in two weeks from now neither in two months. It very tough in the third.”

“If you can give me an explanation, I will listen to you,” Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher when he was asked if he had some explanation to the four goals scored against his team in 3:52. “I think we played well in first two periods even if we didn’t have had bounce on our side in these first two periods. They were lucky that is the things happens in game the score was 2-2, we had our chances but we didn’t took advantage of it. Their goaltender has been good, we have had a mental mistake in their third goal. We have had our chance after but it was too late.”

Two other quarterfinal series were on QMJHL schedule on Tuesday

Sherbrooke 3 vs. Rouyn-Noranda 1 (Sherbrooke wins quarterfinal series 4-3))

Moncton 6 vs. Rimouski 3 (Moncton wins quarterfinal series 4-3)

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