Quebec wins over Rimouski, 3-2

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Winning seven of their last eight games, Rimouski came

to Quebec confident to play a solid game and maybe coming out of le Colisee Pepsi victorious. Instead, three penalties for delay of game and refusing to pay the price by blocking a shot on Quebec’s last goal turned things in Quebec’s favor winning 3-2.
 
Coming out of a victory in Drummondville the night before, Rimouski played a solid first period putting pressure on Quebec defensemen and forcing errors in the defensive zone. Fortunately Quebec veteran netminder Louis Domingue made several good saves.
 
Francis Beauvillier with his fourth of the regular season gave a 1-0 lead to Rimouski. The Oceanic center only had to push the puck past Domingue low on his glove side at 16:31.
 
“I don’t care about the final result, we beat ourselves in third period,” was the first words said by Rimouski head coach Serge Beausoleil after his team lost a heartbreaking game. “We got three penalties for delay of game, guys didn’t pay the price today. I like the way we played in first period but we stopped doing what need to be done, we stopped skating, our executions were too sloppy, we have to look ourselves in the mirror and accept the decision. It will be too easy to blame the referees today, I think instead  of that the blame should be on the one who wears white jersey this afternoon.”
 
Quebec’s best scoring opportunity in the first period came from the stick of Mikhail Grigorenko when his shot hit the right post to Rimouski netminder Carl Hozjan just a minute before the Oceanic got on scoreboard.
 
Quebec came back on the ice in second period playing much better putting more pressure offensively.
 
Winning his battle along the board veteran winger Frederick Roy spotted Anthony Duclair in the slot. The impressive left winger let a wrist shot go scoring his eighth of the regular season at 15:54.
 
With the score being tied 1-1 Quebec head coach Patrick Roy decided to begin the third period with his fourth line, Kurt Etchegary centering Patrick Walsh and Raphael Corriveau. This line put pressure on Rimouski defensemen forcing them to precipitate their move. Results, Jean-Francois Plante took first penalty for Rimouski for delay of game at 11:58 of third period followed 1:04 later by a boarding penalty to Oceanic forward Etienne Belzile giving Quebec a 5-on-3 power play for only six seconds.
 
Quebec took advantage of the golden opportunity scoring their second goal of the game with only one seconds remaining to the penalty to Jean-Francois Plante.
 
How many times have you heard how important it is to be able to win face off in offensive zone? That’s exactly what led to Rimouski tying goal with 3:24 remaining in the third period.
 
Winning a key face off Rimouski center Alexandre Mallet put the puck right on Peter Trainor blade and the Oceanic center one-timer beat Domingue on his glove side at 17:16.
 
Another penalty for delay of game, the second one taken by Jean-Francois Plante came to aunt the Oceanic at 19:01. Twenty-seven seconds later Remparts defenseman Vincent Barnard scores what became the game winning goal beating Rimouski goaltender Carl Hozjan with a one-timer from the blue line following a great pass from Martin Lefebvre.
 
“It was a feeling that I didn’t know since last year,” said Vincent Barnard the one who earned the nick name of shot gun. “It’s very satisfying, like I said to Ray (Raynald Cloutier Quebec play-by play man) at the beginning you miss some timing but it come back slowly.”
 
Head coach Roy praised his young rookies after the game talking about Adam Erne and Duclair (Anthony). “I’m very happy the way these two youngsters plays. They work very well, as a head coach you can’t ask for better. I’m very proud of their performances.”
 
Talking about the game itself, Roy gave credit to their opponent. “Defensively the Oceanic played solid hockey. Samuel Morin was very good for them, he played solid hockey for them tonight playing with Casey Babineau. Etienne Boutet and Jerome Gauthier Leduc played very well as usual.”
 
Quebec will have two days off before going back on the ice preparing them for their next games on the road in Rouyn-Noranda visiting the Huskies on November 11^th and on Saturday team will face off against Val-d’Or Foreurs.
 
Remparts notes: unsatisfied of his role with the team and the ice time he had on Quebec fourth line the right winger Cedric Leblanc decided to leave the team following a discussion over the weekend with Quebec general manager and head coach Patrick Roy. The Quebec general manager will try to accommodate the former right winger if he finds a partner interest to make a trade.
 
Four other games were on schedule in QMJHL
Val-d’Or 3 vs. Halifax 5
Moncton 4 vs. Acadie-Bathurst 3 (in shootout)
Blainville-Boisbriand 2 vs. Rouyn-Noranda 5
PEI 1 vs. Shawinigan 7
  Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com