Québec into semi-finals with 5-2 win
Thursday May 28, 2015
In their 17th meeting with the Rimouski Océanic since the start of the season, the Québec Remparts had the last word.
Jérome Verrier scored twice in a 5-2 Remparts victory, advancing them to the MasterCard Memorial Cup semi-final on Friday against the WHL Champion Kelowna Rockets.
The Océanic, who were QMJHL Champions after a grueling seven game President Cup Final series victory over Québec that ended in double overtime, couldn’t match their Wednesday night performance that saw them blank the Remparts 4-0 to force the 12th tie-breaker in MasterCard Memorial Cup history. Their impressive season comes to an end, one that included the Jean Rougeau Trophy for the best regular season record in the QMJHL of 47-16-3-2.
“The early penalties took some of our momentum,” said Rimouski coach Serge Beausoleil. “On the first (Québec powerplay) goal we have to chip the puck instead of trying to make the fancy play at the blueline. They come down and score and I think we had been controlling the momentum of the game up until that point.”
Québec goaltender Zach Fucale made 30 saves on his 20th birthday while blueliner Ryan Graves also played a large role in the victory, notching a pair of assists. Forwards Adam Erne and Anthony Duclair both scored in the win.
“It’s a relief that our forwards scored some goals,” said Québec coach Philippe Boucher whose defencemen had scored five of the team’s eight goals in the tournament going into Thursday’s game. “Those two guys have been here the longest along with Etchegary and it’s good to see that in a big game with our back against the wall they would step up the way they did.”
The first period opened with a subdued pace, but things gradually picked up with the Remparts converting on their third powerplay opportunity of the period.
Graves took advantage of a Rimouski turnover inside the blueline, stepping into a slapshot that was tipped past Rimouski goaltender Philippe Desrosiers by Verrier in front, giving the Remparts their first lead at 17:19.
Desrosiers and Fucale would swap saves prior to the end of the first, with Fucale stopping Alexis Loiseau on a one-timer off the powerplay moving laterally to his left.
Desrosiers then provided a key save in the final seconds as Anthony Duclair emerged from the box on a three-on-one rush, opting to shoot as Desrosiers kicked out the pad to keep his club within one headed to the intermission.
The Océanic had a strong start to the second as Fucale had to come up with a big save inside the opening two minutes to turn away Frédérik Gauthier from point blank range.
Rimouski would convert under a minute later on their first powerplay of the night. Philadelphia Flyers prospect Samuel Morin unloaded on an NHL-calibre slapshot that got by Fucale inside the far post at 2:32.
Québec would respond a shift later though as Adam Erne and Kurt Etchegary teamed up to find Anthony Duclair coming in late off the rush for his first of the tournament, snapping a quick shot over the shoulder of Desrosiers at 3:58 to give the Remparts a 2-1 lead.
Québec picked up the physicality in the moments to follow as big open ice hits from Erne and Aaron Dutra drew a response from the Pepsi Colisée crowd.
A Jérémy Lépine goal at 16:07 tied the score at two. Linemate Francois Beauchemin stripped a Remparts forward of the puck in the neutral zone, coming back in transition to find an open Lépine through the middle at 16:07.
A turnover at the other end under a minute later would allow Québec to jump back ahead as Desrosiers misplayed a puck behind his own goal line with Kurt Etchegary swooping in right on cue to take the puck to the net front where Adam Erne would tuck it away for his second of the night at 16:54.
The Remparts got a big goal before the second expired, reinstating the two-goal lead. Massimo Carozza won a footrace to a loose puck off the forecheck, feeding a pass to the slot for a waiting Verrier who beat his Rimouski counterpart to the net for his second of the game at 19:19.
The two late goals sent Québec to the second intermission with a 4-2 lead, outshooting Rimouski 22-20.
The Remparts would seal the deal in the third with Marc-Olivier Roy scoring a highlight reel goal at 11:31. The overage winger broke down the right wing, muscling his way past a Rimouski defender to get a shot on Desrosiers. The rebound sat loose as Roy proceeded to tap it over the goal line through his own legs on the backhand as the Pepsi Colisée erupted.
In desperation, the Océanic pulled their goaltender with four and a half minutes to go, forcing the Remparts into their own zone for a prolonged period.
A big save along the goal line by defenceman Raphael Maheux saved a late goal, allowing the Remparts to hold the three goal cushion and close out a 5-2 win.
Rimouski narrowly edged Québec on the shot clock 32-31.
Defenceman Samuel Morin was named the third star of the game for Rimouski while Graves and Verrier rounded out the selections on Thursday.
Québec advances to face the Kelowna Rockets in the MasterCard Memorial Cup semi-final on Friday at 7:30pm, their third game in three days.
Friday’s game can be seen on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific and throughout Québec on TVA Sports.
