QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — The Quebec Remparts began a busy weekend of three games in three nights winning the first 4-2 against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
Two goals in 30 seconds in the second half of the middle frame by Quebec sealed the Huskies fate on Friday night in front of 9,349 fans in le Colisee Pepsi in Quebec.
For one, Rouyn-Noranda head coach Andre Tourigny chose to give credit to Quebec for the way they played that game even if his team played on the road for the 11th times since the season began.
“I should give credit to the Remparts, we played good first period but after that it became tougher for us. As the game went on our team seemed to feel tired mentally, but Quebec did good things. It’s a team with lots of talent, they put the puck on net, and I think if it wasn’t of our goaltender performance, the score could be higher than what it was at the end,” Tourigny said.
The Huskies head coach agreed that the two goals in 30 seconds had been key moments in that game.
“It was definitely a key moment in the game it was doll because, on the first goal, we were tired, instead of icing the puck, we just put the puck behind our defense and bang the puck went behind our netminder. If we just iced the puck like we should have been done, the game would still be 1-1. Instead, the puck went behind our defense, guy’s changes and bang, bang two goals on transition. The game turned out there, until that time, the game had been toe-to-toe on each side. The game turned on their side after that,” Tourigny added.
For Nick Sorensen the game against the Huskies was his first in the QMJHL
Sorensen scores first career junior goal in first QMJHL game photo by Serge Poulin
“When I came in second period, I told myself that I had to play my game,” Sorensen said after the game. “I can’t be afraid because of there is ten thousand people in the stand, I just had to play my game and it felt better in second and third period. It was good team work, out there. At the beginning of the third, we had some problem with our defense, we pulled it together and we win the game. It was a good win.”
Teams traded goals in the opening period with the visiting team pulling the trigger first with Jeremi Janneteau fifth of the regular season at 8:20.
Quebec replied 1:19 later with rookie Anthony Duclair scoring his third of the year completing a great play from Michael McNamee and Axel Rioux.
Quebec coach Patrick Roy recognized after the game that, even if his team didn’t played bad in first period, the Huskies played better than his team. “The Huskies played better than us in first but in second and third, we played much better.”
“We played very well offensively, defensively I found that we could have been better, the Huskies’ players notably their defensemen worked well defensively, they moved the puck well, Brisebois (Mathieu) for one, took several good shots on goal hitting the post in key moment in first period. We need to be better offensively, on the other end, we made great passes and I loved what I saw in tonight game.”
One thing the Quebec head coach like the most in that game was his team consistency.
“The thing I liked the most tonight was the consistency the team showed from period to periods we even played better in second getting great scoring chances.”
Quebec opened the second periods getting great scoring opportunities but Rouyn-Noranda goaltender Robin Gusse was there making first eight saves until Nick Sorensen beat him, taking a rebound from defenseman Philippe Archambeault and pulled the trigger with a backhanded shot, that went over Gusse right shoulder at 15:57.
Quebec came back 30 seconds later taking the lead for the first time in the game, 2-1 with defenseman Owen Werthner’s first goal in the QMJHL. Werthner beat Rouyn-Noranda goalie with a backhand after the Huskies netminder made the first save on Alexandre Contois.
Michael McNamee scores Quebec insurance goal photo by Serge Poulin
A penalty to Huskies right winger Jean-Sebastien Dea for tripping at 6:05 of third period led to Quebec only power play goal in three attempts in the game. Michael McNamee completed the play from Grigorenko and Roy who ended his game with two assists at 7:19 of the third period.
Rouyn-Noranda scored their last goal in the game when Russian right winger Dennis Kamaev scored his third of the year at 12:16.
Quebec won’t have time to enjoy their victory since they will return in action facing the surprising Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Saturday. Quebec will end these first three games in three nights going to Shawinigan on Sunday afternoon.
Six other games were on schedule in the QMJHL
Moncton 3 vs. Cape Breton 2
Rimouski 4 vs. Prince Edward Island 1
Victoriaville 5 vs. Acadie-Bathurst 3
Val-d’Or 1 vs. Chicoutimi 0
Drummondville 3 vs. Gatineau 6
Blainville-Boisbriand 4 vs. Shawinigan 3 (shootout)
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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