Quebec opens the Memorial Cup tournament on winning note.

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Playing the first game of the Memorial Cup Tournament the Quebec Remparts faced off against the Western Hockey League Champion the Kelowna Rockets. Three goals scored by defensemen lead Quebec to 4-3 win. Seated at the end of the bench to begin the QMJHL playoff the former Halifax Moosehead goaltender Zachary Fucale played solid hockey when he got the net. Designated as starting netminder to face the Western Hockey League champion, Fucale was quite impressive in making 26 saves on 29 Kelowna shots.

Quebec opened the scoring on a delayed penalty to Western Hockey League champion Kelowna Rockets. A slap-shot by Quebec defenseman Nikolas Brouillard left no chance to visiting netminder Jackson Whistle who was beaten high on Whistle’s right side 5:18 into first period.

Quebec lost the services of left winger Adam Erne following a check attempt along the board after the first shift of the game.

Kelowna got the first power play opportunity of the game following a penalty to Quebec right winger Jerome Verrier. The home team successfully killed off the penalty. Kelowna two best scoring chances came from the stick of Dillon Dube, both times Quebec goalie Fucale made the save.

Kelowna goaltender Whistle frustrates Quebec left winger Anthony Duclair on breakaway with less than a minute remaining in the opening period preventing the home team to add to their lead.

Quebec missed several chances on their second power play; Marc-Olivier Roy, Vladimir Tkachev, Matt Murphy and Duclair all got great scoring chances on Kelowna penalty to captain Madison Bowey.

Quebec added to their lead with 6:38 remaining in the second period. Working along the board Vladimir Tkachev made a great pass to defenseman Murphy who wristed shot from blue line slowly crossed the goal line behind Rockets netminder.

Scoring nine times during the regular season in shorthanded situations Kelowna cut Quebec lead in half as they killed a penalty to teammate defenseman Madison Bowey. Partially touch by Fucale the one-timer by Nick Merkler slowly went in the net at 17:56.

Quebec regained their two-goal lead with only 2:08 into the third period. Seeing Quebec forward Anthony Duclair coming on a breakaway Whistle went out of his net trying to poke check the puck but pinching in offense defenseman Ryan Graves only had to push the puck in an empty met for Quebec making the score 3-1 Quebec.

Being 0-in-2 with a man advantage in the game the Rockets scored with a man advantage to be 1-in-3. Rockets defenseman Josh Morrisey wrist shot been deflected by center Cage Quincey beating Quebec netminder high on Fucale right side at 12:43.

Leaving the game after first shift following a check along the board Erne came back in second period and was the one who was in the box for cross-checking.

Trailing by one with less than two minutes and a half remaining Kelowna head coach pulled his starting netminder sending a sixth forward looking for to tie the game. Instead Quebec added a fourth goals scored by Erne who only had to push the puck in an empty net at 18:56.

Playing for the sixth time on power play the Western League Champion scored their third goal of the game second one with a man advantage.

Fucale insist on the importance of playing good first game, “As a team we would like to begin the tournament playing good first game and that is what we did. Fucale who made 26saves on 29 Kelowna shots.

“We will work on it we still have some adjustment to do. They won their league championship they are very powerful,” continue Quebec netminder answering question about the way their first opponent played tonight.

“As a team we have to have good preparation and to have great beginning it was a very tight game we expected it.”

“We certainly have to give credit to Quebec, I though they came very hard on us in first period we never start get going. We took undisciplined penalties. We have some area where we need to get better but we have to give credit to Remparts they came out ready to play.” Kelowna head coach Dan Lambert.

“I don’t know if we were rusty but they were more ready to play and we didn’t skate like we are able to. In this tournament you plays against three other championship teams. You can’t began a game like that.”

“We hope so,” Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher said as he answered question about his team getting the momentum after winning first game of the tournament. “Today we used our fans energy to get a good game to get good start in the game. Several people were worried and me too to be honest about the repercussions of our QMJHL heartless loss in final. We have a resilient and confident group of players who answered very well to our first test we had tonight.”

Second game of the tournament will see QMJHL President Cup champion Rimouski facing the Ontario hockey league champion Oshawa Generals on Saturday afternoon.

Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com