Remparts prevail in opener of Gilles-Courteau Trophy Final
The Quebec Remparts have yet to lose in the 2023 Playoffs with Patrick Roy’s club running its record to 13-0 following a 5-1 victory over the Halifax Mooseheads in Game 1 of the QMJHL Championship series on Friday night.
Justin Robidas, with a pair, Theo Rochette, Zachary Bolduc and Pier-Olivier Roy scored for Quebec in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,259 intense fans. Rochette and Roy would also add a pair of helpers in the outing. Marcus Vidicek replied for the Mooseheads, who fall to 12-3 in the postseason. William Rousseau kicked aside 26 shots to earn the victory while Mathis Rousseau made 28 saves in the loss.
The Remparts held a 12-7 edge in shots on goal en route to a 2-0 first period lead. The home team got things started at the 5:06 mark as Robidas, off a feed from Mikael Huchette, beat Rousseau with a perfect rising wrist shot while in mid stride. Quebec would double down thanks to Rochette, who followed a bouncing puck to the side of the net before knifing a sharp backhander home for his third playoff tally at 15:19.
Quebec extended its lead to 5-1 after 40 minutes. Starting off on a power play, the Remparts went to work right away. Bolduc’s low wrister from the top of the circle just 53 seconds in found its way through a throng of players in front before giving the Blues prospect eight goals on the postseason and Quebec a 3-0 advantage. The Mooseheads would get their first one thanks to a power play of their own at the 7:35 mark when Alexandre Doucet found Vidicek at the side of the net with a quick feed. The 2023 NHL Draft prospect wasted no time depositing a one-timer for his seventh of the playoffs.
Robidas’ second goal of the of the game saw the veteran receive the puck in the slot, cut across the grain and deposit yet another wrister over Rousseau’s shoulder at 10:51 to regain Quebec’s three-goal cushion. Roy would cap off the second stanza scoring at the 18:32 mark, finishing off a perfect cross-crease feed from Rochette for his fourth of the playoffs. Shots in the middle frame were 13-8 in favor of the Remparts.
A scoreless third period would see the Mooseheads earn a 12-8 advantage on the shot clock.
It’s a quick turnaround for the two squads with Game 2 slated for tomorrow night at Quebec’s Centre Videotron. The puck drops at 7pm ET/8pm AT.
