QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Three goals in span of 3:26 by Quebec in the third period sealed the fate of Chicoutimi on Friday night in front of 11,944 happy fans who returned home satisfied of seeing their favorite wins over an archrival.
Quebec center Michael McNamee (21) face off against Chicoutimi center Alexandre Beauregard (25) in the initial face off photo by Serge Poulin
After seeing both goaltenders make key saves in the opening period to keep the score 0-0, each team scored in a span of 8:30 in middle frame. Chicoutimi netminder Christopher Gibson stopped Quebec rookie Adam Erne twice Mikhail Grigorenko and defenseman Vincent Barnard. Quebec goalie Louis Domingue did the same against Sagueneens forwards Alexandre Roy, Alexandre Lavoie, Lukas Sedlak and Guillaume Asselin.
“The guys who need to step up did it,” Domingue said when he was asked to comment the team performance. “When we scored our second goal I jumped in my half circle, I was happy it was cool. We talked to each other between the second and third periods after the way we played in middle frame. Lately we have had tough times in third but tonight we played great and we came out with a win.”
Anthony Duclair opened the scoring for Quebec with 1:12 into the second period. Duclair’s wrist shot went between Gibson’s pads.
Chicoutimi tied the game 8:30 later. After making first save on Sagueneens right winger Guillaume Asselin, Quebec netminder was unable to stop Etienne Brodeur who took the rebound and beat Domingue on his stick side with a backhand shot also at even strength.
Quebec center Kurt Etchegary (19) author of Quebec third goal photo by Serge Poulin
For Chicoutimi head coach Marc-Etienne Hebert the key moments of the game came in third periods.
“We played good game for two periods but the game has been played on special units. Quebec penalty killing did very well against our power play. We will have to find a way to score goals. Everyone should contribute in their own way.” Said head coach Hebert talking about his best players Asselin (Guillaume) Brodeur (Etienne) Hudon (Charles).
“Defensively our guys didn’t do bad job but we need to find way to get on scoreboard. We should find way to score with a man advantage but we didn’t do it.” Hebert ended after the game.
With the score tied both teams stepped on the ice for the third period hoping to be the one to break the tie. Duclair played a key role on Quebec’s second goal. The young 16-year-old found defenseman Martin Lefebvre who let a wrist shot go beating Sagueneens netminder over his right shoulder at 12:38.
Chicoutimi forward Guillaume Asselin got an assists on Sagueneens only goal in the game photo by Serge Poulin
Lefebvre goal seemed to break the opposition’s back because Quebec scored, including Lefebvre goal, three in span of 3:26 sealing Chicoutimi fate. Kurt Etchegary with his third of the season and Grigorenko who ended the game (1g-1a) netted Quebec goals in third frame.
“We came out playing good in the opening period but penalties (Kurt Etchegary and Anthony Duclair) seemed to cut our momentum getting Chicoutimi back in the game.” Quebec head coach Patrick Roy said in his opening statement after the game.
“In second period they played very well but we successfully kept them outside the dangerous zone (scoring sheet gave 10 dangerous shots on goal in the game for Chicoutimi). At least on the 21 shots we have had against us in second period we kept them for the most part outside the paying zone.”
Quebec defenseman Martin Lefevre got Quebec second goal photo by Serge Poulin
Quebec will return to action Sunday afternoon hosting the Rimouski Oceanic.
QMJHL news and notes: The long awaited decision about the knee-to-knee hit by Jonathan Lessard of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Nick Sorensen of Quebec Remparts last Friday finally was handed down by QMJHL disciplinary prefect M. Raymond Bolduc on Thursday. After reviewing the tape of the incident, M. Bolduc gave 15-game suspension to Drakkar right winger. Lessard will be eligible to return on December 10, 2011 against the Moncton Wildcats.
On the other end, Patrick Roy comment in his post game press conference where he put the credibility of M. Bolduc on the line accusing M. Bolduc of being too good a person in handing down suspension, referring to the same incident (game against Baie-Comeau on October 28) cost him 2,500.
On last November 1st M. Bolduc handed down another suspension of 5 games to Rimouski Oceanic defenseman Pierre-Luc Pelletier for boarding. The suspension came down following two complains brought to the attention of the disciplinary prefect by the Shawinigan Cataractes.
Six other games were on schedule in QMJHL on Friday
Val-d’Or 5 vs. Cape Breton 3
Moncton 2 vs. Halifax 1
Drummondville 5 vs. Bathurst 2
Shawinigan 3 vs. Victoriaville 7
Saint John 7 vs. Baie-Comeau 0
PEI 7 vs. Gatineau 6 (overtime)
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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