Martin Houle stops 34 shots and the Screaming Eagles blank the Cataractes 1-0

SHAWINIGAN, Saturday October 16th 2004 (QMJHL) – Goaltender Martin Houle stopped 34 shots, Saturday afternoon, to lead the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles to a 1-0 victory over the Shawinigan Cataractes, in front of 1276 fans at Jacques-Plante Arena.

Houle registered his first shutout of the year, and the fourth of his career.

The Cataractes suffered their first loss of the season at home, in their eighth game in front of their fans.

Neil Smith scored the lone goal of the game at 8:57 of the opening period on Julien Ellis, who faced 17 shots, including only five in the first two periods.

<b>Rouyn-Noranda 6 Rimouski 5 (OT)</b>

In Rimouski, Yannick Tifu registered five points, including the tying goal late in the third period, and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies shocked the Rimouski Océanic by winning 6-5, in overtime, in front of 4649 fans at the Rimouski Coliseum.

The Huskies won even though they were outshot 51-32.

Tifu levelled the game at 5-5 by scoring his sixth goal of the year with 3:11 to go in regulation time, while Sidney Crosby sat in the penalty box.

Tifu then set up François Champagne, who scored his first goal of the year, at 1:32 of the overtime period, to seal the victory.

Dominic Deblois also shone for the Huskies with a three-assist performance.

Philippe Dupuis, with a pair, Guillaume Desbiens and Brent Aubin completed the scoring for the Huskies, who won for the second time in as many days.

Before getting caught for interference at 15:11 of the third stanza, Crosby had given the Océanic a 5-4 advantage with his sixth goal of the season and his second in as many games, midway through the period.

Crosby also assisted on Dany Roussin’s 11th goal of the season, scored with only four seconds to go in the first period.

Crosby has recorded at least one point in every one of the nine games he played in, while Roussin has a 12 game scoring streak.

Zbynek Hrdel led the Océanic’s attack with one goal, his 10th of the season, and two helpers. Marc-Antoine Pouliot scored the others goals for the Océanic, his sixth and seventh of the season.

<b>Halifax 2 Québec 1</b>

In Québec City, Daniel Sparre recorded his fifth goal of the season with 1:28 to go in the second period, and the Halifax Mooseheads defeated the Remparts 2-1.

Petr Vrana, with his third goal of the year, had helped the Mooseheads tie the game at 8:12 of the second period.

Fifty seconds earlier, Max Gratchev had taken advantage of a power play to beat goaltender Jason Churchill, who stopped 35 shots.

The Mooseheads totalled 27 shots on Maxime Joyal.