Gatineau wins third game over Quebec

Gatineau left winger Gabryel Paquin-Boudreau (23) photo by Serge Poulin

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Coming to Quebec off two victories in the first three meetings against Quebec, the Gatineau Olympiques earned their third win by the score of 6-2. Samuel Tremblay, Gabryel Paquin-Boudreau and Alex Dostie were the best on visitor side with a goal and assist each.

Registering their first shot on goal with 11:25 to play in first period, Quebec missed an excellent opportunity of breaking the ice as Gatineau forward, Gabryel Paquin-Boudreau, got four minutes for high sticking.

Gatineau get on board first as Yan Pavel Laplante shot, beat Quebec goaltender Evgeny Kiselev, between his pads with 2:35 to play, in opening period.

Ranked 15th overall in QMJHL with a man up with 18.8 percent, scoring 55 goals in 293 chances, and 0-in-2 in first period on power play, Quebec ended first period with another golden opportunity ending first period playing five-on-three power play following consecutive penalties, to Olympiques defenseman Guillaume McSween and center Alexandre Alain.

Playing four-on-four Gatineau forward Samuel Tremblay, going on a two-on-two breakaway with teammate Paquin-Boudreau saw his long wrist shot slowly went behind Quebec netminder with 16:05 to play in second period.

Quebec scored their first goal in the game as young 16 years old Louis-Filip Cote, surprised Gatineau goaltender Mark Grametbauer at 8:09 in middle frame. It was Cote first goal with Quebec team a first one in 25 games.

Quebec veteran center Bronson Beaton look for the puck in offensive zone photo by Serge Poulin

Gatineau regained their two goals lead less than three minutes later as Olympiques right winger Gabryel Paquin-Boudreau drove to the net beating Remparts netminder between his pads with a backhanded shot at 11:23.

Quebec came back cutting Gatineau lead to only one goal with 9.2 seconds remaining in middle frame. Alexandre Sills wrist shot seemed to surprise Gatineau netminder Grametbauer on his left side. Sills used one of Gatineau defenseman to screen his own goaltender.

The Olympiques regained their two goal leads for second times in the game. Gatineau defenseman Gabryel Bilodeau slap shot from the blue line beat Kiselev on his right side with 13:31 left to play in the third period.

Hooked by Quebec defenseman Ross McDougall, Olympiques center Yakov Tremin was unable to take a shot and get a penalty shot. The Nashville second round selection 55th overall in 2015 beat Quebec netminder giving three goals lead to his team at 11:26.

Gatineau center Samuel Tremblay (27) on faceoff photo by Serge Poulin

Gatineau adds a sixth goals as Alex Dostie scored his 24th of the season with 1:06 remaining to the third period.

While his team won for third time in four meetings against Quebec Gatineau head coach Benoit Groulx had some remarks about his team performance.

“Our defensemen were very ordinary, we weren’t disciplined but we have had great control of the puck, for majority of the time and we defended ourselves great in shorthanded situations. It’s a long season, so we can’t play all games like we would always like, but overall, we are satisfied yes.” Gatineau head coach Benoit Groulx.

While on paper Gatineau seemed to have a team with more maturity and more talent the Olympiques gave credit to his opponent. “I don’t but I think Quebec seem to believe until the end, they did great things overall aside the disgraced Turcotte play at the end. It was extremely sad. I have been part of the hockey comity in this league and it is exactly the kind of gesture we want to prevent. A player knowing that his opponent was vulnerable with his head down took two or three steps with the intention to injure. Player like that did not have their place in the league.” Gatineau head coach Groulx said about Yanick Turcotte hit against Alexandre Alain.

“Listen I think I have a target on me every times I made a hit,” answered Quebec left winger Yanick Turcotte. “I played with my reputation a bit, I think the two minutes for boarding I got last night was far away of been a boarding, I think when (the referee) saw Turcotte making a hit they exaggerate the call. I know it might not be a legal check but I don’t think it deserved a five minutes.”

Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher began his post-game press conference by answering quest about his player hit on Alexandre Alain.

Gatineau center Alexandre Alain (91) waiting for opening faceoff photo by Serge Poulin

“First of all I will begin by saying I’m not sure it was a two minutes. It has been a five minutes because his name is Yanick Turcotte. If you look at the screen at home I got a 60 inches here we have 60 foot so we saw it very well coming back on the bench smiling. The experience of referee Serge Hache and Pascal St-Jacques return him in the locker room. I would say that the cross check of Alain I Gentile’s face is much dangerous than the Turcotte hit.”

Quebec will end the three games in four nights hosting Baie-Comeau Drakkars on Sunday afternoon.

Six other games were on QMJHL schedule on Friday night

Cape Breton 7 vs. Acadie Bathurst 1

Moncton 6 vs. Halifax 2

Charlottetown 5 vs. Saint John 3

Baie-Comeau 1 vs. Sherbrooke 6

Drummondville 4 vs. Blainville-Boisbriand 1

Victoriaville 1 vs. Val-d’Or 4

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