QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Playing the first of three games on the road, Quebec made their first stop in Victoriaville to face the Tigres. Vladimir Tkachev (2g-2a) and Anthony Duclair with 2 goals brought important contributions to Quebec offense helping Philippe Boucher team to sign their 38th wins by the score of 9-3.
After scoring twice in the opening stanza three times in the middle frame Quebec came back in the third adding four goals and never looked back to get their 38th victory of the season and getting six-point lead over third place Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the East Division with six games remaining in regular season. 
Quebec dominated the action in the opening period in Victoriaville taking a 2-0 lead.
Vladimir Tkachev picked up the first two goals for Quebec. On first, the Russian winger’s wrist shot beat Victoriaville goaltender Chase Marchand top corner at 12:36.
The second one came less than three minutes later as Tkachev redirected a shot from captain Kurt Etchegary at 15:33.
Quebec continued their domination in middle frame in Victoriaville. After scoring two goals in first twenty minutes, Quebec added three more in middle frame as Victoriaville broke the ice on penalty shot with 32.5 seconds remaining. Tigres Russian right winger Nikita Li beat Quebec netminder Callum Booth on a penalty shot on his right side.
Leading 2-0 after one period Quebec scoreed their third goal as defenseman Aaron Dutra scores his first goal in his junior career following great effort by teammates Marc-Olivier Roy and Adam Erne at 12:47.
Going 0-for-2 with a man advantage in the game Quebec took advantage of their third power plays opportunity to add a third goal to their lead. If Vladimir Tkachev scores first two Quebec goals, Jerome Verrier scored his 7th and 8th in second period to give Quebec a 5-0 lead.
Seeing his starting netminder Marchand allowing five goals on 22 shots Victoriaville head coach Bruce Richardson decided to pull Marchand sending former Rimouski Oceanic goaltender acquired at last trading deadline Olivier Tremblay.
Victoriaville scored their first goal on a penalty shot. Being hooked by Quebec defenseman Matt Murphy, Russian right winger Nikita Li beat Quebec netminder to his right side with 32.5 seconds to play.
After breaking the ice with less than a minute to play in second period Victoriaville began the third scoring a second goal with only 24 seconds gone. Looking for the loose puck Quebec netminder wasn’t fast enough seeing Victoriaville right winger Gabriel Gagne push the puck behind Quebec goalie, cutting the Québec lead to three goals.
Quebec came back to regain their four-goal lead as Dmytro Timashov tied a record for the most points in season by an European in Quebec getting his 85th points of the season as he scores his 19th goals of regular season 2:59 into third period.
Being shutout with a man advantage 0-in-1 Victoriaville scored their second goal of the game playing with a man up. Angelo Miceli long shot beat Quebec goalie to his left side at 15:05.
Reduced to silence in first two period the former New-York Rangers prospect who learned at latest NHL trading deadline his rights been traded to the Arizona Phoenix in important trade Anthony Duclair scores next two Quebec goals. First one of the period following a perfect tic-tac-toe ending with Duclair scoring his 10th of the year. Tkachev and Erne got the helpers.
Duclair came back less than four minutes later with his second of the period beating Olivier Tremblay with a backhand shot at 6:55.
Guillaume Gauthier came back ten seconds later scoring Quebec 9th goals of the game taking a rebound shot from teammate defenseman Ryan Graves.
Quebec will return in action on Friday night visiting the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
Two other games were on QMJHL schedule on Thursday night
Shawinigan 5 vs. Chicoutimi 1
Baie-Comeau 1 vs. Rouyn-Noranda 9
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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