Halifax center Otto Somppi (89) trying to protect the puck along the board photo courtesy of Jonathan L’Heureux of infosportquebec
QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Facing each other for second time inside a week (Quebec won 6-5 last Thursday) Quebec won for a second time against one of the best offensive team in the league. Scoring once in first period and another time in third Quebec won 2-1 against the Halifax Mooseheads. Being perfect in first forty minutes of the game Quebec goaltender made 18 saves on 19 Mooseheads shots in third period to escape with the victory.
Not invited to the team Canada training camp that will play the world Junior Championship Booth earned first star totaling 35 saves out of Halifax 36 shots on goal.
Studying each other in first half of first period, Quebec drew first blood on two-on-one breakaway. Play began with Remparts forward Olivier Garneau making great pass to Matthew Boucher going on two-on-one breakaway with teammates Philipp Kurashev beating Halifax goaltender Alexis Gravel to his left side with 8:34 to go in initial period.
Scoring the only goal in second half of first period Quebec missed two great opportunities with a man up. Guilty of interference Benoit-Olivier Groulx of Halifax went in the box 45 seconds in but Mooseheads killed first one. Second one went to Connor Moynihan for slashing at 10:11.
Quebec also killed two Mooseheads power plays. Having been caught for too many men on the ice Louis-Philip Cote served the penalty 2:40 into middle frame. Quebec defenseman Christian Huntley has been found guilty for interference at 14:53.
Quebec forward Matthew Boucher(91) looking for the puck from behind Halifax net photo courtesy of Jonathan L’Heureux of infosportquebec
Trailing by one after two periods of play leading 17-14 in shots on net Halifax came out dominating 19-6 in shots on goal in the third but Quebec scored their second goal of the game as Mooseheads head coach Andre Tourigny pulled his netminder to send a sixth forward as his team tried to tie the game.
Playing key roles on Quebec goal in the game in second portion of first period, Oliver Garneau redirect a shot from Matthew Boucher following a great pass from defenseman Raphael Maheux in an empty net at 18:17.
Already scoring 110 goals before the game, Quebec almost kept Halifax at bay preventing them of scoring until 12.8 remaining in the third period as Arneaud Durandeau redirect a shot from Bradley Kennedy between Quebec goaltender Callum Booth.
Not invited to the final team Canada training camp, Quebec netminder played very solid game blocking 35 out of 36 Halifax shots on goal earning the first stars of the game.
“I was happy to see the game ended the way it end, it always fun to get a win, at least we had a margin of two goals.” Quebec first stars of the game Callum Booth said.
Quebec forward Olivier Garneau(14) score Quebec second goal becoming the game winning goal photo courtesy of Jonathan L’Heureux of infosportquebec
“I’m only very happy the way we played,” continued Booth as a reporter asked him if he was disappointed to lose his possible shutout. “Thing like that happened in the game, if I’m not bothered by that I don’t think players were bothered by that in locker room if we got the win.”
“The hockey game is scoring more goals than the other team, if we can do that most of the time it will go very well we will try to continue that in upcoming game. Quebec goaltender said.
Winning twice in span of almost a week against one of the best team in the league is very good for Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher.
“We like the way we played first period, it was a problem for us this year,” Quebec head coach Boucher answered.
“We fore-check, we put lots of pressure, Callum Booth kept us in the game in first two periods but mostly in the third where it has been little tougher for us. Benn able to contain a team that scored over than 100 goals up until last week, been able to contain Fortier (Maxime) and Hishier (Nico) in game like tonight all the credit went to our players. We tried to match little bit more than usual. The line of Kurashev played a lot against their best line, after that it has been our defensemen we matched but it came back a lot to Callum. Not giving lots of power plays also was great for us. Concluded Boucher.
Quebec young center Andrew Coxhead (20) battle for the puck photo courtesy of Jonathan L’Heureux of infosportquebec
For Halifax head coach the former Rouyn-Noranda Huskies head coach who also act as assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche Andre Tourigny he asked himself what his team should do to beat Quebec as his team loses twice in almost a week against Quebec.
“I don’t know what to do against them it was the seconds game we outshot them and we can’t find the caramilk secret but it has been very good game, both teams played tight not lots of scoring chances. The victory is important in hockey but in same time I’m happy the way our players played tonight, they worked hard, we didn’t gave too many things offensively. We have had enough chances in third to win that game.” Halifax head coach Andre Tourigny said.
In other team news Quebec General Manager and head coach Philippe Boucher announced last Tuesday he traded forward Lucas Thierus to Victoriaville Tigres. In return Victoriaville sent a sixth round selection previously acquired by Victoriaville from Quebec in 2017.
Quebec will go on the road to play their next game more precisely in Shawinigan facing the Cataractes. On Saturday Quebec will be back home to host arch-rival Rimouski Oceanic.
Five other games were on QMJHL schedule on Wednesday
Charlottetown 5 vs. Acadie-Bathurst 1
Rouyn-Noranda 7 vs. Cape Breton 6 (shootout)
Sherbrooke 3 vs. Blainville-Boisbriand 8
Chicoutimi 3 vs. Victoriaville 2 (shootout)
Gatineau 4 vs. Baie-Comeau 3 (shootout)
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
@SERPOULIN @PROHOCKEYNEWS
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