Third period come back leads Quebec to victory

QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Three goals in 1:35 in the third period led Quebec to a 4-2 win over the Halifax Mosseheads. Quebec leads their series 1-0.
 

After scoreless first period Halifax was the first team to break the ice in that series scoring first goal with only 5:29 gone in second period.
 
Making the first save on Mosseheads defenseman Austyn Hardie backhanded shot, Quebec goaltender Louis Domingue was unable to pick the puck hit in the air by Nathan MacKinnon beating Remparts goalie on his glove side.
 
Confronted most of the night to Mackinnon line, Quebec defenseman Mikael Tam gave credit to Mossheads for the way they began the game but his team made the adjustment last two periods.
 
“No it wasn’t the kind of game beginning we wanted,” the team captain said. “If you compared to the way we played against Drummondville (four goals scored) it was different. We didn’t began the way we wanted but on the otherhand we have to give credit to them (Halifax) they came out strong but we stayed calm, and we really have had good third period. Tomorrow and for the rest of that series, it is the kind of team we need to see.”
 
Without playing an aggressive fore checking the visiting team saw his goaltender makes several good saves in second keeping Halifax in control of the game leading 1-0 after forty minutes.
 
Halifax head coach agreed that the story of the game was the three Quebec goals scored in a stretch of 1:35.
 
“Sure it made the difference. It changed the game, we didn’t react the way we should. You took one (goal) you turned the page right away, it still play the game. We will be better tomorrow. Overall we can do much better,” Halifax head coach Dominic Ducharme said.
 
“Yes,” answered Ducharme to a question about his team being affected after Quebec first goal in third period. “But on the other hand, we did come back when we were behind, we have had explosions of three of four goals to win games in the past. Sometimes the momentum change rapidly we have certainly to react better after given up first goal.”
 
Being solid during the game the Halifax rookie goalie Zachary Fucale was really mad against him after the game. Answering question if his young netminder could be affected by the three goals scored against him?
 
“I don’t think he can do anything on Quebec first two goals, on the third one, He was surprised on third one to see the shot coming so rapidly. He made key save just with his glove just a bit later. Nobody likes to lose. He will be there tomorrow and be solid again,” Ducharme said.
 
Looking for more offense from his first two lines, Quebec head coach Patrick Roy reunited his three best forwards in regular season. Frederick Roy who began the game on second line with Michael McNamee and Adam Erne came back on first line centered by Mikhail Grigorenko and Anthony Duclair taking spot of Logan Shaw.
 
“I didn’t think the first two lines gave me the kind of hockey I would expect from them,” Quebec head coach Patrick Roy said about bringing back his son on first line. “They didn’t have any cohesion between them so I brought back the line that worked very well for us. It would be to Erne (Adam), McNamee (Michael) and Shaw ( Logan) to find a way to make the line works together.
 
Beginning the third period putting more pressure on Halifax defenseman Quebec scored three times in span of 1:35 seconds taking a commanding lead 3-1.
 
Gabriel Desjardins was the first Quebec forwards to score goal in quarterfinal. Keeping the puck in offensive zone Jeremie Malouin shoot the puck in corner, anticipating Alexandre Contois went in corner wins his battle spotting Desjardins on the other side beating Fucale for the first time 1:14 into the third period.
 
Winning face off in offensive zone Contois saw the puck went to Quebec defenseman Martin Lefebvre who let a slap shot giving no chance to Mooseheads rookie netminder 1:24 later. Jeremie Malouin came back 0.9 seconds later with Quebec third goals.
 
“I have to tell you the line of Malouin, Contois and Desjardins gave us big game tonight,” Roy said. “They scored very important goals for us.”
 
Unable to take advantage of a two men advantage in second period for 1:05 minutes and a subsequent five-on-for for 55 seconds, Halifax scored their second goal on their last power play (8^th) in the game.
 
Trying to take advantage of Quebec penalty to Adam Erne, Halifax head coach Ducharme decided to pull his goaltender sending sixth forwards on the ice. Darcy Ashley scored Halifax second goal at 18:51.
 
But with only four seconds on the scoreboard Anthony Duclair scored Quebec fourth goal in an empty net.
 
“We didn’t come out bad in first period but we didn’t put puck on net, in second penalties broke the rhythm of our team. We talked to each other between the second and third period we made some adjustments that we considered important. I have to admit we played with more grit with more intensity we competed more along the board in one-on-one battle. In second I found Halifax wanted the win the one-on-one battle than us. That’s what made the difference,” Roy said.
 
Both teams will come back on Saturday for game two of that series.
Three other series were on schedule in QMJHL on Friday
Baie-Comeau 3 vs. Saint John 9 ( Saint John takes 1-0 lead)
Rimouski 5 vs. Blainville-Boisbriand 3 Rimouski takes 1-0 lead)
Chicoutimi 7 vs. Shawinigan 6 (first overtime) ( Chicoutimi takes 1-0 lead)
 
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com