They were down 6-0
This confrontation was the perfect opportunity for the Olympiques to return on the victory path. A game played at home against a team that had not played for several days. The last game of the Val-d’Or Foreurs was last Saturday, when they suffered a lost against the Halifax Mooseheads. However, the Olympiques were deprived once again of three of their five top scorers. Tomas Hyka, Martin Reway and Rock Régimbald are still on the injured list.
On their first shot, the Foreurs scored. Cedrick Henley recovered a generous rebound from Robert Steeves. A few seconds later, Loïk Poudrier had doubled his team’s lead on a power play. Overwhelmed during the first few minutes of the game, Gatineau preached by indiscipline. Val-d’Or took advantage of the chaos of the Olympiques to remove the number 36 in the game; Eric Brassard replaced Steeves in goal after Richard Anthony scored. The first cheers from the crowd were heard on the first shot of the Olympiques after more than 11 minutes of play at 11:22, the Russian, Anton Zlobin, demonstrated the extent of his talent by making fun of the defenseman Jean-Simon Deslauriers before beating Brassard between the legs alone in front of him. Brassard gave another goal on a breakaway this time the shooter was Anthony Mantha. Henley then scored his second of the game by pushing a puck that Brassard had no control on. During the first intermission, the score was Val-d’Or 6, Gatineau 0.
If the first period was clearly to the advantage of the Foreurs, the Olympiques had not said their last word in the second period. Robert Steeves was even back in net. Right at the beginning of the period, the Olympiques received a double power play opportunity to wake up. A fly that happened to be in the Olympiques locker room probably stung Émile Poirier. The attacker was all over the ice to start the second period; he imposed himself physically, defensively and offensively. He first completed a nice pass from Simon Tardif-Richard. Then Olivier Knight-Rouleau scored his seventh of the season. Then Poirier scored his second of the night on another power play. Like a train unable to stop, the number 27 completed his hat-trick with a superb pass from Adam Chapman on a 2 on 1 play. It only took a few moments for Poirier to return the favor to his linemate Adam Chapman who scored his 16th of the season to reduce the lead to a single goal difference. The Foreurs were still leading 6-5. At the end of the period, the frustration was installed in the Val d’Or’s camp. Cedrick Henley hit from behind Emile Poirier. This gesture earned him a minor penalty. Poirier still ended the second period with 3 goals and 2 assists.
The comeback was not temporary. It was completed after two minutes of play in the last period. The second goal of Adam Chapman tied the game, while the Foreurs were short of a man. If Robert Steeves was not at his best earlier in the game, he was however able to close the door at the right time, but the shot of William Gélina deceived his vigilance with less than five minutes to do in the game. However, the captain of the big occasions, Taylor Burke, brought everyone back to square one after he scored on François Tremblay with only 1:30 on the clock.
The overtime was necessary. The Olympiques received a minor penalty when Alexandre Carrier received a two minutes for holding against Anton Zlobin. The special unit did the work to stop the Foreurs massive attack.
The end will be worthy of the rest of the game, extremely impressive. The shootout will decide the winners and losers. Nobody had scored until the second to last shooter, Adam Chapman, who found a loophole and score to force the last shooter for Val d’Or, Anthony Mantha to score for the continuation of the shootout. To the delight of the Olympiques, Steeves made the save against the best scorer in the league.
This historic comeback will be remembered from everyone especially that it came at the end of the 40th season of the Olympiques. The last home game for the Gatineau Olympiques before the playoffs will be played today against the Chicoutimi Saguenéens at 7h00.
Olivier Breton
