QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Coming back from an emotional loss against Saint John on Wednesday night and displaying their best performance of the Memorial Cup tournament, Shawinigan won tie breaker game 6-1 over the Western Hockey League champion Edmonton Oil Kings.
Forced to play the tie breaker game after losing their confrontation with the other QMJHL team, Eric Veilleux’s team had to play to their best ability to earn the right to continue in pursue their tournament and earn a second meeting against the President Cup champion in the semi-final on Friday night.
For Edmonton, the loss meant having to pack their bags as the tournament is over.
After taking the lead by two in the first twenty minutes, Shawinigan came out in the second adding four more goals to take control of the game leading 6-1 after two.
Edmonton had the first great scoring opportunity with Curtis Lazar trying to push the puck behind Gabriel Girard the Shawinigan goalie. Shawinigan got the chance to send his power play unit following first penalty to Oil Kings forward Rhett Rashinsky.
Thanks to Laurent Brossoit the Cataractes weren’t able to get any serious scoring chances with man advantage.
With action in both ends of the ice, Shawinigan opened the scoring at even strength.
Knowing they had to keep pressure in Edmonton zone Karill Kabanov shot the puck deep. Taking the rebound Cataractes defenseman Brandon Gormley took another shot that was deflected by the author of first Shawinigan goal Yannick Veilleux at 7:30 of the opening period.
The defensive pairing of Gormey and Morgan Ellis worked their magic on Shawinigan second power play opportunity of the initial period. Winning a face off in Edmonton zone, Gormey made beautiful pass to Montreal draft pick Ellis who let a low shot go. The traffic in front of Oil Kings goalie left no chance to Oil Kings goalie to make the save at 17:01.
For most of people in the crowd who were Shawinigan fans, the first period was very encouraging. Knowing the team has had to play better than the night before against Saint John the Cataractes crashed the net worked much better around opponent goalie and they has had their share of scoring opportunities.
Eric Veilleux’s team began the second period adding two more goals in span of 1:02 seconds. After successfully killing a penalty to teammates Michael Bournival Michael Chaput made nice pass to Anton Zlobin who left no chance to Brossoit the Edmonton netminder to make the save 1:56 into middle frame.
Already registering two assists in the game, Gormley the former Cape Breton Screaming Eagles acquired by the Cataractes at trading deadline scored Shawinigan fourth goals of the game 1:02 later.
Coming out from backdoor Shawinigan captain Michael Bournival pick up lose puck from right side of Brossoit after teammate defenseman Ellis took first shot scoring Cataractes fifth goals second one in three chances with a man advantage at 8:11.
When all things go right for a team one night good things always comes out. Already scoring two goals with a man advantage, Shawinigan adds another one this time being
shorthanded. In killing a penalty to Vincent Arseneault, Pierre-Olivier Morin intercepted a errant pass going all the way scoring what became last Shawinigan goal in the game at 13:55 of second periods.
Henrik Samuelsson got the only Oil Kings goal roofing the puck under neat the crossbar at 16:50.
Damage already been done in first forty minutes of this game neither teams adds goal in the third.
Next game will see the winner of tie breaker game the Shawinigan Cataractes facing off the defending Memorial Cup titlist Saint John Sea Dogs in semifinal on tonight.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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