GRANBY, Québec – The Saint-Georges CRS Express have probably the most faithful fans of the Ligue nord-américaine de hockey. They celebrated big time, Friday night at Centre Lacroix-Dutil, after their team gave them their first Futura Cup in 12 years.
Saint-Georges beat the Sherbrooke Saint-François 3-0 to win the LNAH’s final in six games. The guys from the Beauce region dominated their opponents Thursday when they beat the Saint-François, in Sherbrooke’s Palais des sports Léopold-Drolet, 6-4.
Goaltender Frédéric Deschênes was the true hero of game six. He stopped all 45 shots he faced to lead his team to the final victory. In the third period alone, he stopped 20 pucks.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” said Deschênes in Sherbrooke’s La Tribune daily paper. “We never gave up and we deserve this. It’s my eight season in this league and it’s the first time I win.”
Deschênes, 34, played previously in the American Hockey League and the International League but he had his best moments in the ECHL. Also, in 1996 in his last junior season, he won the Memorial Cup with the Granby Predators.
Jesse Bélanger, Kevin Cloutier and Éric Bertrand scored for Saint-Georges on Friday. At 40, Belanger was the LNAH’s third leading scorer this year. And with 35 points in 18 games, Cloutier was the playoffs’ best scorer.
“Whether you play in the National Hockey League or in the LNAH, nothing compares to this (winning the playoffs championship),” said Bélanger, who played with Montréal, Florida, Vancouver, Edmonton and New York Islanders in the NHL. “My first thought goes to our fans. They’re the best in the league and they’ve been patient enough.”
On the other side of the building, Sherbrooke’s coach Éric Dandenault was disappointed. But he paid tribute to his players.
“Éric Perricone had the sternum fractured, Frédéric Bélanger had a hand fractured, Yannick Tremblay was seriously injured to a shoulder and Yann Joseph couldn’t do anything with his knee anymore, but they all fought until the last minute,” he said. “I coached true warriors this year. The guys can to be proud of what they did.”
Contact Michel.Tasse@prohockeynews.com
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