Quebec-Blue wins by shootout
Joseph Veleno, the only player born in 2000 to be involved in this year’s Gatorade Excellence Challenge, led the Quebec-blue team to victory in the final of the tournament held this weekend at the Centre d’Excellence Sports Rousseau in Boisbriand this weekend. Thanks to a slick move in the shootout, Veleno scored the only goal in the shootout to seal a 4-3 win over Team Nova Scotia.
Veleno also scored the goal that tied the game on a power-play late in the second period. No goal was scored in the third period or overtime as goalies Alex D’Orio (Quebec-Blue) and Matt Welsh (Nova Scotia) sparkled.
Welsh was especially hot in the in the third period in the third and in overtime, stopping all 15 shots he faced in a game where he ended facing 38 total shots. As for D’Orio, he was busiest in the game’s first two periods when he faced 31 of the total 38 shots that came his way.
Maxime Comtois and Tommy Cardinal scored the other goals for Pascal Rheaume’s side. Comtois also added an assist in the game. The goal scorers for Nova Scotia were Shane Bowers Jack Cameron and Cole Rafuse.
To reach the final, Quebec-Blue won three games and lost the other via shootout while Nova Scotia won three games and lost one in regulation.
New Brunswick claims the bronze
Leading the way for New Brunswick to win the bronze medal was goalie Jacob Stewart who kicked aside all but one of the 46 shots he faced in a 5-1 win over Quebec-White.
Dereck Baribeau and Kyle Jessimen shared the duties in the Quebec-White crease, surrendering 5 goals on 22 shots in the game.
Nicolas Guay had given Quebec-White the lead midway through the first period, but Stewart transformed himself into a brick wall stopped the rest of the game for New Brunswick.
Lighting the lamp for New Brunswick were Walker Campbell with a pair of goals, Ben Reid and Mika Cyr, Ben Reid and Michael Joseph.
Team Newfoundland-Labrador earned fifth-place with a 7-5 win over Prince Edward Island. They did so despite not having won a game in the round-robin portion of the event.
McKenna leads the way
PEI forward Jeremy McKenna was the event’s top scorer with eight goals and 7 assists in five games. Finishing behind him were Shane Bowers (4-7-11) and Shaun Miller (3-8-11).
The top point-getter on the blue line was Nova Scotia’s Keenan MacIsaac who picked up three goals and added a pair of assists for five points in five games, tying him with Quebec-Blue’s Vincent Martineau who had a goal and four assists and PEI’s Brodie MacMillan who had five assists.
Jacob Stewart of New Brunswick was the most solid goalie in the tournament, posting a .954 save percentage and a 1.62 goal against average.
Alex D’Orio of Quebec-Blue was second in GAA at 2.53, while Zachary Rose finished second in save percentage at .917.
First Team All-Star of the Challenge
Goalie: Jacob Stewart – NB
Defensemen: Keenan MacIsaac – NS et Nicolas Beaudin – Q-Bleu
Wingers: Jeremy McKenna – PEI et Shaun Miller – NS
Centre: Shane Bowers – NS
This unique event of course allowed scouts to complete their evaluations ahead of the QMJHL Draft being held in Sherbrooke on June 6. The QMJHL scouting centre will meanwhile be releasing its final rankings on Wednesday, May 7.
The QMJHL and its hockey operations director, Pierre Leduc, thanks all the volunteers that help make the event such a smashing success.
