QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. —Losing their first three meetings against the Remparts, Vicotiaville came to Quebec and won their first game in four tries. Trailing by one (1-0) after twenty minutes of play the visitor came out strong in middle frame with three goals in 7:32 seconds by Maxime Contois fourth one came in empty net in third with five seconds remaining.
r veteran defenseman Nicolas Brouillard young 16 year old Louis-Pilip Cote (23) is a promissing player photo by Serge Poulin
Four players played their first game with their new team Quebec following trade deadline on January 6 at 12:00. Coming from Cape Breton in trade for Massimo Carozza center Colby Tower played his first game centering third line with Olivier Garneau and Derek Gentile.
Young 16 years old Louis-Philip Cote came from Rouyn Noranda Huskies with several draft picks as Quebec sent veteran defenseman Nikolas Brouillard.
Veteran defenseman Anthony Gingras took the place of Alexandre Coulombe coming from Victoriaville.
Quebec opened the scoring only twelve seconds in. Going along the board in possible two-on-one breakaway veteran center Alexandre Sills decided to take the shot beating Victoriaville goaltender Olivier Tremblay low on right side.
A turnover in Quebec zone led to Victoriaville tying goal. Keeping the puck in offensive zone Tigres defenseman Daniel Krenzelok made pass to teammates Mario Huber. Making the save on Huber shot Quebec netminder Callum Booth saw Maxime Contois takes the rebound pushing the puck behind Quebec goalie with 14:22 remaining in middle frame.
Victoriaville took the lead for first time as they killed penalty to teammates Marc Beckstead. A turnover at visitor blueline led to Tigres two-on-one breakaway. Felix Lauzon made great pass to Contois redirecting Lauzon pass behind Quebec goalie at 9:45.
Contois complete his hat trick as his wrist shot beat Booth on his right side at 13:10.
Quebec first goal scores twelve seconds in by veteran center Alexandre Sills (10) photo by Serge Poulin
Beginning the third period a man up Quebec has been unable to take advantage of the situation to cut visitor lead to one goal. Instead, Victoriaville adds to their lead leading by three as defenseman Nicolas Latulippe one-timer beat Quebec netminder high on Booth right side with 13:35 to play in third period.
Matthew Boucher who by his own admissions after the game didn’t play up to what he could scores first of two consecutive goal as he redirect the shot by teammate defenseman Ross MacDougall at 12:20.
“Honestly I have had fifty hard minutes I didn’t play up to what I can give, I didn’t had a great game for me. Last ten minutes it works and it help the team a bit,” Matthew Boucher said after the game.
“I don’t know sometime we said the puck bounce for you some other times it didn’t, I feel I could give it more tonight.”
Playing his first game with his new team Colby Tower play solid game against Victoriaville photo by Serge Poulin
Boucher came back with his second of the game, second in third period less than seven minutes later as he took the rebound from Alexandre Sills beating Victoriaville netminder on his right side at 19:10. Zachary Moody made key plays keeping the puck in Tigres zone.
Already registered three goals in second period, Maxime Contois scores his 4th of the game in an empty net with five seconds left on the clock.
“It is special it did not happened every day in junior major so I’m very happy to be able to do that,” has been the first comment made by the stars of the game 16 years old Maxime Contois.
“I think I was at the right place at the right time I have had excellent pass usually I didn’t miss easy goal especially empty net one,” continued the left winger Contois.
Trailing by one after giving up a goal the first one in the game after only twelve seconds in in the opening period Victoriaville came out strong with three goals the three by Contois in 7:32 seconds.
“Like you said, we came out flat in first period when we came back we calmed us down, we told us that we have had to come back to our game. We are a team that have success when we work. We drop the puck deep in their zone we fore-check. In second and third that was what we did and we have had success.”
Victoriaville head coach Bruce Richardson was really happy about his team first victory in four attempts.
latest acquisition by Quebec before trading deadline veteran defenseman Anthony Gingras photo by Serge Poulin
“It is a fantastic scoring four goals at 16 years old it is very a great achievement. It took a team to do that you know a great pass of Felix Lauzon on one of his goal and another from Simon Lefebvre, he has been very opportunistic tonight and he works on two-hundred feet when you work good defensively you give yourself the opportunity to play offensively.”
For Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher his team did not have enough scoring opportunities. “We weren’t there in second period that is what really hurt us. We have had two unsecured goaltenders we would like to test him but we didn’t do it we have had only three scoring chances after two periods and you can’t win games with so few scoring chances.”
“We played with little nervousness, we saw great things in first, in third we didn’t gave up all year we have had lots of games where we pick up points at the end of third, we tried but we miss some gaz.” Resumed Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher.
Quebec will be back in action on Saturday night in the Videotron Center hosting Drummondville Voltigeurs.
Six other games were on QMJHL schedule on Friday night
Cape Breton 7 vs. Acadie-Bathurst 4
Gatineau 7 vs. Charlottetown 5
Rimouski 6 vs. Halifax 1
Drummondville 2 vs. Shawinigan 6
Blainville-Boisbriand 1 vs. Baie-Comeau 4
Sherbrooke 1 vs. Rouyn-Noranda 6
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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