QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Returning from Rimouski with their seventh consecutive victory, Quebec began slowly against Halifax but picked up the pace as the game progressed and outplayed the Mooseheads in the last forty minutes. With the line of Mikhail Grigorenko with Anthony Duclair and Frederick Roy
Corriveau earns first star with 2 goals 1 assist photo by Serge Poulin
Usually playing on the third or fourth line Corriveau has shown Patrick Roy that he can put the puck in the net.
“I’m very happy about my performance tonight,” Corriveau said. “I played with intensity tonight, sometime you shots on goalie pads in a two-on-one and you have to take the opportunities when they comes.”
“Sure it was hard,” Corriveau said. “I worked hard in practice and now I see the result.”
When asked to specified what did he found the hardest the Levis Quebec native answered, “Missing the first 12 games. To see your teammates play while you watch from the stands. You practiced with them but when it comes time to play you watch it from the stand that’s what is the hardest.”
Fans in le Colisee Pepsi has had to wait until the second period before seeing the first goal of the game. Back after missing the last two games due to injury,
Grigorenko and Duclair combine for 3 points photo by Serge Poulin
Two goals 18 seconds apart by Quebec with less than two minutes remaining seemed to deflate Halifax. Raphael Corriveau made it 2-0 with his first of the season. Corriveau’s wrist shot beat Halifax netminder top shelve at 18:01. Adam Erne completed the scoring in middle frame with Quebec third goal.
Nathan MacKinnon had the best Halifax scoring chance just after Quebec third goal but Brassard made the save.
Halifax scored their only goal in the game with a man advantage. Quebec goaltender Brassard lost his shutout when former Quebec player Alexandre
Former Remparts player scores Halifax goal photo by Serge Poulin
The combination of Anthony Duclair and Grigorenko worked their magic on Quebec’s fourth goal. Coming out of Halifax net, Duclair spotted Grigorenko who just had to slide the puck under Fucale’s pad with 1:34 minutes remaining to the four-minute penalty to Sawyer Hanney.
Vincent Barnard’s goal in the third was the end of the night for the Mosseheads’ starting goaltender. Halifax head coach Dominic Ducharme pulled Fucale sending Marc-Olivier Cote for the rest of the game. Fucale made 27 saves on Quebec 32 shots in 47: 41 seconds.
Quebec goaltender Brassard made 31 photo by Serge Poulin
Corriveau welcomed new Halifax goaltender scoring Quebec sixth goal, his second of the game at 9:25.
“Fucale was our best player tonight, said the Halifax head coach Dominic Ducharme after the game. “They were largely better then us in every department. We lost all our battle along the boards, we were the spectators on the ice tonight. Thanks to Fucale, he kept us in the game making key saves in second half of second period keeping us in that game, we should come out much better in second.”
“Hard to explain,” said the MAooseheads coach. “Against Saint John in Saint John we didn’t seem intimidated, we did play very well. It wasn’t our team.”
“We began the slowly, but as I told to the players is what make me proud was we did not play the way I wanted, we didn’t compete the way I expected but the way we played in last 10 minutes of first period and last 40 the rest of the game we compete. My goal when I talk to them like that is I don’t want them to takes bad habits, I want the team to continue to play inspire hockey,” said Quebec head coach Roy.
Halifax netminder Fucale photo by Serge Poulin
“I have to say it took time to insert him (Corriveau) into the lineup but he works hard in the practice, he kept a very good attitude. Beside his first two games, Corriveau stepped up his game played better. As the game went on tonight I would like to give him more he made big play blocking a shot from one of their defenseman with the score 1- 0.”
Quebec next game will this Tuesday hosting Saint John Sea Dogs.
Four other games were on schedule in the QMJHL on Saturday night
Shawinigan 1 vs. Baie-Comeau 5
Rouyn-Noranda 4 vs. Cape Breton 9
Victoriaville 3 vs. Moncton 4
Blainville-Boisbriand 3 vs. Gatineau 4 (overtime)
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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