QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Losing their last three games Quebec needed a strong performance to put an end to their skid. Coming out strong in the opening period, dominating 15-4 in shots on goal Quebec took a 2-0 lead in the initial period and never looked back in 4-1 win against the Victoriaville Tigres.
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Ranking eighth overall in the standing with 56 points in 48 games having one game in hand over Quebec with 55 points, Victoriaville didn’t need much motivation for this game against the Remparts. Unable to do the small things in the opening period, the visitor saw Quebec coming out playing physical and totally dominating the first period not only in shots on goal but also on main scoreboard leading 2-0 after one period of play.
Kept out of scoring sheet several times, Olivier Garneau played solid game scoring Quebec first goal. “Yes even if it wasn’t the nicest goal, it was a goal that is very welcomed, the way we played it is the we want to play since the beginning of the year, everyone followed the game plan and it worked well,”
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“We were more physical than usual, you have some team that didn’t like it so when we knew a team didn’t like it we tried to bring our physical play and it gave us lots of scoring chances. Like I said it is the way we want to play.” Said the author of his 17th goals of the year.”
Earning the third star in the game Quebec captain Matthew Boucher underlines the collective work of his teammates. “It has been a collective worked tonight, compared to our last two or three games. We executed very well tonight, we have had lots of shot on goal so it ended very good. We really executed our game plan, we really wanted to follow our game plan. Making good pass on tape, taking shots on goal it was what we only wanted, we put the emphases on that.”
Quebec got on board 1:03 into the opening period. Making the first save, on shot from the slot by Matthew Boucher, Victoriaville goaltender Tristan Cote-Cazenave can’t control the rebound as Olivier Garneau, beat Tigres netminder low on glove side.
Quebec added to their lead taking advantage of their first opportunity with a man up in the game. Ranked 14th overall showing an 18.1 percent efficiency scoring 45 goals-in-249 opportunities Remparts defenseman Christian Huntley scored his seventh of the year on great pass from teammate Matthew Groutchy at 8:23.
Quebec dominated 15-4 in shots on goal.
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Victoriaville cut Quebec lead in half with first Tigres goal as Vitalii Abramov scored his 24th of the year, his 12 in last 22 games on pass from Maxime Comtois at 4:16 in middle frame.
Quebec regained their two-goal lead 50 second later. Tigres netminder made first save on Quebec center Philipp Kurashev but unable to keep the rebound Gregor MacLeod beat Cote-Cazenave for his 14th of the regular season.
Quebec scored their fourth goal, in the third period, a backbreaking goal that sealed the fate of Victoriaville with 14:31 to play in the period. Jesse Sutton scored his 14th of the year finding tinny place between Cote-Casenave’s pads.
“The line is tinny, “Victoriaville head coach Louis Robitaille after the game. “We have had a great first shift but we went on a two-on-one and Harwell (Chase) missed the net, and loses two face-off the shot is in the toutou they got rebound and pass over it. Details in the beginning of the game cost us dearly. The game has been played in the details. In the beginning we had prepared guys like in the playoff game. We must block shot gave good bodycheck, like we did in second period.”
“It has been a different game in second because we began to put pressure on them, we did pay attentions to detail in second periods but that was what we missed in first period.” Continued Tigres head coach Robitaille.
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On the other side Quebec head coach seemed really happy to see the way his team played the game. “They worked hard and paid the price,” Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher said.
“It was downing lately because we know we have good team, good players. The game in Sherbrooke was frustrating, as far as the other game are concerned we did good things, the traveling has been good, against Drummondville, a team that won night after night, we were in the game we couldn’t found a way to get goal that could make the difference and tonight it unlock it came from everywhere. I don’t know if times work for us, new guys were really good tonight, Laberge (Pascal), Groutchy (Matthew), MacLeod (Gregor) were all good, Antoine Samuel in net has been good, (20 saves on 21 Tigres shots), everyone played good game.” Continued Quebec head coach Boucher.
Quebec next game will be on Friday night hosting Baie-Comeau.
Four other games were on QMJHL schedule on Wednesday night.
Sherbrooke 3 vs. Acadie-Bathurst 5
Saint John 2 vs. Cape Breton 3 (overtime)
Drummondville 5 vs. Shawinigan 2
Blainville-Boisbriand 7 vs. Baie-Comeau 0
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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