Shawinigan wins in Quebec | Pro Hockey News

Opening face-off between Quebec center Alexandre Sills and Shawinigan center Athony Beauvillier photo by Serge Poulin – Copy

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Winning the first three meetings between the two teams, Shawinigan came in Quebec with complete different team following the trading period that ended January 6th. Scoring the only goal in first two periods, Shawinigan added two more to pick up a 3-1 winsagainst the Quebec Remparts. Recently acquired from Baie-Comeau Drakkar veteran goaltender Philippe Cadorette missed his 17th career shutout by eight seconds making 30 saves out of Quebec 31 shots earning the first star of the game.

Quebec goaltender Callum Booth had been almost perfect in opening period. After making key saves on Alexis Daout at three occasions and Samuel Blier, former Quebec Remparts left winger Dmytro Timashov found teammate defenseman Cavan Fitzgerald beating Quebec netminder high on left side with a wrist shot with 1:59 remaining in first period.

Quebec’s best scoring opportunity came from the stick of center Auguste Impose on nine shots on Former Baie-Comeau goaltender Philippe Cadorette.

A fight broke out between Shawinigan defenseman Matthew Klebanskyj and Quebec left winger Yanick Turcotte ending as draw even if Quebec forward gave best fist hit. Each team got chance with man up but neither team was able to take advantage 0-in-1 for Shawinigan 0-in-2 for Quebec.

Quebec center Alexandre Sills (10) photo by Serge Poulin – Copy

Going 0-for-2 with the man-advantage, Quebec ended the second period and began the third with 20 seconds of power play but like the previous two in the game Quebec wasn’t able to get on the board with man up.

Leading by one scoring the only goal in the game in first period Shawinigan added a second one when Danny Moynihan took his own rebound to put the puck behind Quebec goalie after Booth made first save on Fitzgerald long shot from the blue line. Making a second saves on first veteran winger shot Moynihan beat Quebec goalie on second rebound to make Shawinigan leading 2-0 with 11:37 remaining.

Trailing by two with two minutes remaining Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher decided to pull his starting netminder.

Instead, the visitor added a third goal as Gabriel Gagne scored his ninth of the season in an empty net at 18:41.

Blocking all 30 Quebec shots he had faced and with the possibility of registering his 17th shutout of his career, Cadorette saw that hope vanish as Quebec defenseman Ross McDougall got Quebec on board with eight seconds remaining.

eft winger and formerly of Quebec Remparts Dmytro Timashov (88) got an assist on Shawinigan first goal photo by Serge Poulin – Copy

“We know we have lots of players coming from other teams, it will be a process to the way we play and the expectation, it was a game with high and low far from been perfect as far as the intensity in first good in second think we could place it at good and in third we came back at an intensity level acceptable, Shawinigan head coach Martin Bernard said near the visitor locker room.

“I think we could do better.” Concluded the Cataractes head coach Bernard as he resumed the way his team played against the Remparts.

Getting an assist on Shawinigan first goal it was the first time he came back to Quebec since he was back from the World Junior Championship and the trade that made him go from Quebec to Shawinigan.

“It was fun, the fan was great,” said Dmytro Timashov about the fan reaction when he got his assist on Cataractes first goal. “I’m happy they still cared about me, I’m happy they gave me good welcome.”

“I think I can play much better, I know the team can play much better than that but we still have lots of new guys and need time to find each other on the ice getting chemistry.” Timashov said about the game itself.

For Quebec head coach, it wasn’t easy for his team as Quebec lost their fifth consecutive game.

aie-Comeau Shawinigan veteran netminder Philippe Cadorette bring experience in front of Cataractes net photo by Serge Poulin – Copy

“The effort was there, that is what we ask to our players,” answered Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher. “We didn’t have to be shy of the team effort today, we played against one of the best team in the league. The McDougall goal that was maybe the only time we have had or to be opportunistic, we would like to see it in second period maybe it could have been a different game. “

“We knew scoring goals would be a challenge in second half of the regular season the rest is what we had asked to the players in seconds and they did it. If we could have scored in second maybe the game could be different but it is a great hockey team.” Quebec head coach concluded after the game.

Quebec will leave for their next two games on the road to complete their three games in three nights beginning with first stop in Drummondville on Friday and Gatineau on Saturday night.

Two other games were on QMJHL schedule on Thursday night

Saint John 4 vs. Charlottetown 5 (overtime)

Halifax 4 vs. Rouyn-Noranda 8

Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com