Cape Breton center Marcus Hinds (19) on opening face off photo by Serge Poulin
QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Blanked for the last 159:23 Quebec needed to score six goals, the last one in overtime, to sign a 6-5 overtime win against Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Massimo Carozza second goal of the game was the game-winning goal.
Trailing 2-0 after first period the Quebec Remparts scored three unanswered goals to take their first lead of the game. Scoring a fourth goal to get a two goals leads Quebec saw Cape Breton coming from behind to tie the game at four-all. Each team score one goal needing to play a fourth period before Quebec wins in OT.
Cape Breton scores twice in the opening period to take a 2-0 lead after first twenty minutes.
Killing a five-on-three Quebec was unable to kill the following five-on-four as Cape Breton young Russian Evgeny Svechnikov left no chance to Quebec goaltender Zachary Fucale on a one-timer on great pass from Alexandre Gosselin with 13:25 remaining in the opening period.
Former Quebec defenseman Duncan MacIntyre wear same number fro Cape Breton photo by Serge Poulin
The Screaming Eagles came back scoring a second goal on shot Quebec goalie would certainly get another chance. After seeing his teammates defenseman Matt Murphy blocking first shot by Marcus Hinds, the puck came back right on the stick of Cape Breton center who scores his 18th goals of the season at 14:16.
Quebec broke the ice stopping the sequence without scoring a goal to 159:23 scoring three unanswered goals to take the lead for first time in the game. The former Quebec record was 158:57. Quebec right winger Vladimir Tkachev scores his 14th goal of regular season fifty seconds into the second period.
Quebec tied the game as Anthony Duclair scoresdQuebec second goal on Remparts second shot in the period beating Miguel Sullivan who came to replace Alexandre Belanger to begin middle frame after been victim of a collision with Quebec player at the end of first period.
Duclair eighth goal of the season came at 3:04.
Forgotten on Cape Breton goaltender left side Duclair came back scoring his second of the night with 9:30 left in middle frame.
One of best QMJHL prospect Evgeny Svechnikov score two goals for Cape Breton photo by Serge Poulin
Being hooked and unable to take his shot on a breakaway Tkachev has been awarded a penalty shot that Screaming Eagle netminder was able to stop to keep the score at the beginning of third period.
Quebec took a two-goal lead when Marc-Olivier Roy only had to push the puck in an empty net following the great pass by Dmitro Timashov with exactly 11:00 to play in third period.
The old adage that said the worst lead is a two goals lead in sport had been verified another times since Cape Breton scored next two goals to bring both teams back to square one with two goals in less than next three minutes.
Been screened by lots of traffic in front of him Quebec netminder couldn’t see anything as Cape Breton Russian right winger Svechnikov scored his second of the night at 11:57.
Phelix Martineau brought both teams back to square one as he pick up a loose puck in Fucale half circle to beat Quebec goalie for Cape Breton fourth goal at 14:49.
Quebec came back to regain a one goal lead with Massimo Carozza’s goal at 15:51. The puck deflected on Cape Breton defenseman before going in.
The visitor didn’t wasted time before replying as they scored their fifth goals of the game only fourteen second later. Jeremie Beaudin beat Fucale on glove side at 16:05 to push both teams to overtime.
Quebec left winger Anthony Duclair scores two goal for Quebec Remparts in overtime victory photo by Serge Poulin
Efficient in four-on-four situation Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher decided to use Massimo Carozza who already had scored earlier in the game and with 2:15 on the clock he was the one who pulled the trigger and made perfect play to score his second of the game.
“I never practice this play, I just the hole pretty close to me so I just made a move fake to go on one side and go to the other and it ended up working.” The author of the game winning goal Massimo Carozza.
“Goals are goals so I will take it any days,” said the one who his second goal of the game gave Quebec first victory after ben shutout for last 159:23 .
“We look the shots on goals in one of the timeout and it was 31-18 we have had the game under control for several times but we almost dropped it at the end,” Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher said answering first question.
“You always have lesson to learn,” continued Boucher. “You have lots of positive to look at tonight but when you got a team in cable you can’t let it go. Trailing 2-0 in first period guys worked real hard, the second period tonight has been one of our best period this year on all aspect. We have been physical, we have been dangerous we have had lots of shot on goal and in third we complicated our live a bit.” The Quebec head coach said.
On the other side, Cape Breton wasn’t happy about the final result but his team ended up with a point on the road. “It is sure we aren’t happy when we lose,” begin to answer Cape Breton head coach Mario Dumont.
“On the road it was a point we can be proud of. We showed lots of character we never let it go players played with lots of courage. It wasn’t evident we lose our number one goalie after the first, we also lose a forward due to a virus who got the better of our player (Jacob Smyth) we finished the game with ten forwards.
Quebec will end the weekend facing arch rival Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Sunday afternoon.
Seven other games were on QMJHL schedule for Friday night
Gatineau 7 vs. Moncton 3
Rimouski 8 vs. Acadie-Bathurst 0
Charlottetown 3 vs. Saint John 7
Halifax 2 vs. Baie-Comeau 4
Drummondville 3 vs. Rouyn-Noranda 6
Shawinigan 4 Val-d’Or 3
Sherbrooke 4 vs. Victoriaville 7
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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