Cataractes kick-off season with a bang
RIMOUSKI, QC – The Shawinigan Cataractes exploded offensively in the season-opener and thumped the Rimouski Oceanic 7-2 on Thursday night.
The scoring parade began just under five minutes into the opening frame when Nicholas Welsh potted a powerplay marker. Brandon Gignac and Gabriel Slight had the assists.
Five minutes later, Slight added to the lead with a powerplay goal of his own to make it 2-0 Cataractes. Samuel Girard and Gignac added helpers.
Rimouski cut the lead in half just past the 13 minutes mark as Alex-Olivier Voyer put one in the back of the net.
Alexis D’Aoust scored his first two goals of the season early in the second period beating Louis-Philip Guindon at 2:05 and again at 5:15. The first was unassisted while James Phelan and Louis-Philip Fortin grabbed helpers on the second.
To round out the second period scoring Gabriel Slight scored his second of the night from Gignac and Fortin at 11:15.
Alex Pawelczyk and James Phelan each scored in the third for Shawinigan, while Anthony Chapados replied for Rimouski to make it a 7-2 final score.
Antoine Samuel made 31 saves and grabbed an assist in the victory. For the Oceanic, Louis-Philip Guindon allowed six goals on 20 shots before being replaced by Charles-Antoine Poirier-Turcot who made five saves in relief.
