GAT @ QUE: What You Need to Know
QUEBEC CITY – The Gatineau Olympiques kick off a two-game road trip Friday night as they visit the Quebec Remparts at 7 p.m. at the Videotron Centre.
After playing three games in four days in front of their home crowd over the Thanksgiving long weekend, Serge Beausoleil’s squad hits the road to face one of the hottest teams in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of tonight’s matchup.
The Olympiques Look to Get Back in the Win Column
Gatineau enters the contest with a 5-3-2 record, good for 12 points through its first 10 games of the season.
The Olympiques have scored 35 goals while allowing 34, averaging 3.5 goals per game.
After earning a 4-3 shootout victory over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar last Friday, Gatineau dropped its next two games on home ice. The Olympiques first suffered a 6-3 loss to the Val-d’Or Foreurs on Sunday before falling 3-2 to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens on Monday afternoon.
Gatineau will now look to snap its two-game losing streak in its fourth road contest of the season. The team currently holds a 1-1-1 record away from home.
The Remparts Among Canada’s Best Teams
The Olympiques will have their work cut out for them Friday night.
The Remparts have enjoyed an outstanding start to the season, posting a 7-1-0 record and earning the second spot in the latest Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Top 10 Rankings, released Wednesday.
Riding a seven-game winning streak, Éric Veilleux’s squad has established itself as one of the hottest teams in the league.
Quebec picked up two important victories last weekend, including a thrilling 7-6 win over the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.
The Remparts feature several dangerous offensive players, including James Scantlebury, who recorded eight points, including six assists, in just two games last weekend. His performance placed him in a tie for second among QMJHL scoring leaders and first among CHL rookies.
Maddox Dagenais also made headlines with a hat trick against Chicoutimi, while Alexandre Taillefer and Nikita Ovcharov each collected four points in the same contest.
Players to Watch on Both Sides
For the Olympiques, Gabriel Séguin has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign, recording 7 goals and 3 assists for 10 points.
Louis-Étienne Halley follows with 9 points, while defenceman Ryan White has contributed 8 points, including 7 assists.
Maxim Dubé remains Gatineau’s leading scorer with 12 points, including 6 goals. However, the forward is expected to miss four to five months of action due to a lower-body injury.
On the Remparts’ side, James Scantlebury leads the offence with 17 points, including 8 goals. Nathan Quinn follows with 14 points, while Alexandre Taillefer has collected 13 points, including 11 assists.
Injuries Testing Gatineau’s Depth
The Olympiques will also be without forwards Finn Barton and Alex Dagenais, who are both dealing with upper-body injuries. Their conditions are being evaluated daily.
These absences present an additional challenge for Gatineau, which will need to rely on its offensive depth and a strong collective effort to compete against one of the QMJHL’s most dangerous offensive teams.
First Meeting of the Season
Friday night’s contest will mark the first meeting of the season between the Olympiques and the Remparts.
For Gatineau, the key will be slowing down Quebec’s high-powered offence while rediscovering the offensive efficiency that helped the team win five of its first eight games.
The Olympiques will also need to remain disciplined and limit quality scoring chances in front of their goaltender if they hope to put an end to their two-game losing streak.
Tonight’s matchup will also mark the beginning of a busy weekend for Gatineau, as the team will travel to Rimouski to face the Océanic on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday night at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City.
