hicoutimi defenseman Julien Carignan-labbe (6) going for the puck in corner photo courtesy of Remy Garneau of infosportquebec
QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Losing against Rimouski and Victoriaville on Friday night Quebec came from behind in third period to win in overtime 3-2 against arch-rival Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Not playing their best hockey, trailing 2-0 after forty minutes, Quebec came back in the third scoring twice to force the overtime period. Scoring first goal with only 66 seconds gone in the third period Quebec captain came back in overtime to seal arch-rival fate with his second goal of the game with only 45.4 seconds left in fourth periods.
In what could be considered a defensive first period, Chicoutimi broke the ice first with only 1:55 gone in the opening period. Ryan Verbeek wrist shot from right face-off circle, found tiny hole under Quebec goaltender Callum Booth right arm.
The Sagueneens got the only power play in first period when Quebec center Sean O’Brien has been found guilty of interference. Quebec successfully killed it.
Quebec will go on the road for next three games next week in the Maritimes with first stop in Halifax facing the Moosehead next Thursday.
Ranked eighth on power play with 22.4 percent with 19 goals scored in 85 chances Quebec got their first power play opportunity with 3:52 gone in second period but Remparts weren’t able to get the puck behind Sagueneens goalie. Xavier Potvin.
Already 0-in-1 with a man up Chicoutimi took advantage of their second chances as the penalty to Quebec left winger Olivier Garneau has been costly for Philippe Boucher’s team.
Chicoutimi first goal scored by Ryan Verbeek (89) photo courtesy of Remy Garneau of infosportquebec
Making first save on Vincent-Olivier Lapalme, Quebec netminder Booth couldn’t do anything on Jake Smith pushing the puck behind the Carolina Hurricane prospect at 7:23.
Not playing their best hockey in first forty minutes Quebec played much better in the third as they cut Chicoutimi lead in half scoring their first goal in the game with only 1:06 gone in the third.
Quebec captain Matthew Boucher backhanded shot beat Sagueneens goaltender Xavier Potvin on glove side. Defenseman Raphael Maheux and Derek Gentile got the assists.
As they continued to control the best scoring chances in the period, Dmitry Buynitskiy scored his fourth of the regular season at 7:53. His shot from along the board found tiny hole to beat the Quebec former 8th round selection in 2013.
Three against three overtime period gave without a doubt the best action the Quebec fans has had since the beginning of the season and fortunately for them their favorite ended on winning side as Boucher scored his second of the game on a breakaway with 45.4 seconds remaining to the overtime period.
Quebec captain Matthew Boucher (91) fighting for the puck score Quebec game winning goal in overtime photo courtesy of Remy Garneau of infosportquebec
For one Chicoutimi head coach was happy about his team effort in first two periods but admitted that some mistakes in third period gave Quebec scoring chances leading to Quebec two goals and the overtime.
“Little mistakes in defensive zone gave to Quebec some momentum, nothing happened in first two periods they didn’t had any scoring chances, we made little mental mistakes more than anything else, we played some players more asking them more than what they use to give us yesterday and today and in third we felt some effects of that.” Chicoutimi head coach Yanick Jean said after the game.
“In the absence of Nicholas Roy some players got more ice time, bigger ice time and sure it has an impact.” Continued Jean.
As the hero of the game with two goals Quebec captain Matthew Boucher was happy the team stopped losing streak at two before going on the road.
“We came out strong in third period we knew we didn’t played our best hockey, we felt we didn’t had any emotions. So it hasn’t been complicated between the two and the third we brought emotions, giving all we got. We knew we were in the game, we just didn’t proved it. They got great team on the other side, they missed one of their key element, we didn’t took advantage of it in first two periods, and we did it in the third.” Quebec captain Matthew Boucher said.
2- Quebec right winger Derek Gentile (27) trying to come in front of Sagueneens net photo courtesy of Remy Garneau of infosportquebec
“The three-on-three hockey is really exciting you tried, you missed you just hoped your opponent missed his shot to get the chance to go on the other side. Yes you have to come back to back-check not that I didn’t back-check on my goal but staying little bit in back gave me the chance to go on breakaway. Yes the three-on-three is to go one side or the other you didn’t know what could happen. It is what happened at the end,” Boucher explained .
“Sometimes you don’t know what to say between period so I let Marc (Fortier one of the assistant coaches) to speak it has been short but very touching,” Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher said in post-game press conference after his team won 3-2 in overtime.
“He fired them up by touching their proud and I challenge some veteran myself,” continued the head coach Boucher. “I challenged Callum to close the door, to Matt (Matthew Boucher) to take charge, to Philipp Kurashev to play like our best player (even if he is one the younger player) and they react really well.”
Four other games were on QMJHL schedule on Sunday
Acadie-Bathurst 11 vs. Halifax 10
Saint John 2 vs. Moncton 3 (shootout)
Gatineau 5 vs. Drummondville 3
Shawinigan 3 vs. Victoriaville 2
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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