QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Giving up first goal in the game 14 times in the last 18 games, Quebec came from behind and found a way to win 5-3 against the third ranked team overall in the QMJHL. Earning the first star of the game Derek Gentile ended his game with two goals.
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Quebec saw the visitor scoring first goal Moncton, took advantage of a five-on-three power play scoring with only four seconds remaining, to the first penalty to Quebec forward Mikael Robidoux.
The shot from the blue line by Wildcats right winger Anderson MacDonald has been redirect by Dylan Seitz beating Quebec goaltender on his right side at 8:23.
Moncton added to their lead 4:10 into the middle frame. Wildcats defenseman Simon LeCoultre wrist shot beat Quebec netminder on his left side. Anderson MacDonald and Gerald Blackmore got the assists.
Quebec answered back with three goals inside five minutes. Olivier Mathieu, Jeremy Laframboise and Louis-Filip Cote as fourth line united their effort to bring back both teams to square one.
Quebec forward Olivier Mathieu was the first Quebec player to break the ice as his precise shot beat Moncton goaltender Mark Grametbower over his left shoulder at 11:33.
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Quebec center Jeremy Laframboise brought both teams back to square one scoring his 3rd of the regular season at 13:17.
Quebec took the lead for first time in the game as Olivier Garneau made great pass to Derek Gentile in the slot beating Wildcats netminder over his left shoulder at 16:15.
Going 0-in-2 on power play Quebec took advantage of their third chance following the penalty to Moncton forward Damiil Kuzmin. Already scoring one goal in the game (third Quebec goals), Derek Gentile shot from the slot beat Moncton goalie over his right shoulder at 9:19 of the third period.
“It was pretty exciting, it was two big wins back to back, it is nice to see our team on top of the standing. It is something we thought we could accomplish so its pretty exciting.” The author of two goal in the game Derek Gentile.
Trailing by two midway to the second period, the first goal scored by Olivier Mathieu seem to help to change the momentum. Quebec scored first two goals in 2:17, adding third one inside three minutes helping Quebec to take the lead for first time in the game.
“Our whole line was great tonight, I mean, we are not typical kind of fourth line, we are all capable players, they are all talented guys. We are four team line and they gave us a push tonight and we really help each other to play the game the way we can.”
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For Moncton head coach Daren Rumble, his team seem in control of the game but Quebec goals turned things around in Quebec favor and it was too late damage was done.
“Big time, I thought we had the game under control, I felt in overall it was one of the best game we have played,” Wildcats head coach said after the game near the visitor locker room. First place team, 19 shots against it was lots of stuff I like, I felt we had the game under control at 2-0 and we had been just careless with the puck at the offensive blue line, it was a needless turnover, and Quebec had one shift, two shifts, thee good shifts and you could feel all the momentum after first goal coming.”
“The next one was little lucky I felt our coverage was ok but it was perfect shot under the bar and obviously got the third one. It was disappointing cause we felt the second period could ended 2-2 would be ok. We are on the road, we could take that. I felt we played pretty good game, we felt, we didn’t gave up a tone of scoring chances. The goals they scored were nice. I felt our goalie played well even if he did not received lots of shots. The chances were big one.”
Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher saw his team finding another way to win a game after trailing by one or two.
“We have had great proof tonight, they played inspired hockey tonight beginning with first period. In second we took another way our speed, I didn’t know if it was the five-on-three against us, we have had hard times to get into the game even when you want to play four lines. They played much better than us in first period,” Admitted Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher.
“We took our game as the fourth line inspired us. It wasn’t a fourth line in the league but here in Quebec it is that way on our board. It was really beautiful, they skate, they executed. It was the only line that executed right in the first period, in second we played them back to back, that where the winds turned on our side.”
“We have big guys on every lines, they can play in shorthanded situation for certain team but here it is all players with very good offensive ability, Laframboise (Jeremy) has been possibly the best player on the ice tonight, I like Cote (Louis-Filip) how he implicated and Olivier Mathieu he was little poison on the ice, he did not took too many chances to put it in. He was in confidence beginning of the game. They should talked to each other. I always said, if you play great hockey we will make you play. Sure we have to have to count on our veteran and our leaders night after night but if you play good hockey you will play. I was the case for them tonight.” Concluded Boucher.
Quebec came back later in the period with goal number five in an empty net goal. Injured in sooner in the game Quebec defenseman Christian Huntley scored his second at 18:55.
Quebec will end the weekend playing their fourth games home stretch on Sunday afternoon as they host Blainville-Boisbriand.
Seven other games were on QMJHL schedule on Friday night
Cape Breton 3 vs. Acadie-Bathurst 6
Blainville-Boisbriand 5 vs. Sherbrooke 3
Charlottetown 5 vs. Victoriaville 3
Saint John 0 vs. Chicoutimi 6
Halifax 7 vs. Gatineau 5
Drummondville 3 vs. Shawinigan 4
Rimouski 3 vs. Val-d’Or 2
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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