Shawinigan loses three games in a row
Shawinigan didn’t manage to earn any point during their three game road trip. During that stretch, we saw that the road toward the playoffs would be a tough one. If the game in Rimouski was all about offense, both games in Abitibi (Rouyn-Noranda and Val D’Or) showed a better outcome on the defensive end.
Rimouski wins a wild one 8-6!
Normally, it takes about 5 hours to drive from Shawinigan to Rimouski. The heavy snowstorm that touched most of the province of Québec slowed Cataractes’ bus and the team finally arrived in Rimouski around 15h30! Therefore, the game was postponed and started with a 2 hour delay.
The Cataractes played a good first period despite being down 3-2 after 20 minutes. Frédérik Théorêt and Jérémy Martin scored for Daniel Renaud’s team. In the second, Vasily Glotov was the only one to beat Colten Ellis for his team leading 21st of the season. Down 6-3 after 40 minutes, Vincent Senez, Mathieu Boulianne (with his first in the Q) and Antoine Demers got Shawinigan close but unfortunately, the comeback would come to and end and Rimouski would seal the deal in an empty net.
Shawinigan battles hard but loses 3-2 in Rouyn-Noranda!
If the game against Rimouski was all about offense, the one between the Huskies and the Cataractes was much tighter. Also, Daniel Renaud could count on Simon Benoit who was back in the line-up. The tall defenceman was the instigator of the first goal of the game, the only one in the first period, when Jan Drozg completed the play for his 12th of the season.
The second period of play gave time and space to the Huskies to take control of the game as they scored twice while outshooting Shawinigan 18-9. In the third, at mid-point, Rouyn-Noranda added one more and though that the job was done. Vasily Glotov scored his 22nd with only 3 minutes left in the game. Great performance by Lucas Fitzpatrick who stopped 33 shots despite the loss.
Shawinigan in control for 53 minutes… but loses in overtime in Val D’Or!
Needless to say that a meeting between the Cataractes and the Foreurs is serious business. The two teams are battling hard to earn the last playoff spot. Shawinigan fans who had made the trip to Rouyn-Noranda and Val D’Or honestly thought that their favorites were going to steal the game. During the first 53 minutes of play, Samuel Blier, Anthony Imbeault and Vasily Glotov, with his 23rd of the campaign showed the way for Shawinigan. But Val D’Or put on an extra boost and scored two times in the third, their second goal coming with only 44 seconds left in the period.
In overtime, Val D’Or jumped on their first scoring chance and scored with 2 minutes of play when Nathan Hudgin scored his second of the game. Tough loss for the Cataractes who lost a excellent chance to earn important points against the rivals.