(Quebec) Zachary L’Heureux scored his 10e goal of the playoffs and the Halifax Mooseheads beat the Remparts 3-2 on Friday, reducing Quebec’s lead to 3-2 in the QMJHL final.
L’Heureux got the decisive goal at 6:32 in the second period.
Evan Boucher and Markus Vidicek were the other scorers for the Mooseheads, who benefited from 35 saves from Mathis Rousseau.
The response came from James Malatesta and Jérémy Langlois, while William Rousseau stopped 19 shots.
A sixth game is Sunday in Halifax at 4 p.m.
“We still played well,” said Malatesta. We have to take advantage of our chances and make them pay when they make turnovers. »
The Mooseheads took the lead just 1:01 after the opening face-off. Alexandre Doucet circled the net to the left and handed it to the blue line to Brady Schultz. This one fired and Vidicek converted the rebound.
The Remparts buzzed for several minutes at the end of the first third.
Nicolas Savoie started the streak with a pass along the boards to Daniel Agostino, who created a scoring chance with a dangerous throw-in in front of the net – a very lively pass, made on the turn.
Quebec kept control of the puck and soon after, Evan Nause came very close to scoring with an excellent low shot, stopped by Rousseau.
Then, 4:22 before the first intermission, Savoie hit the horizontal bar with a searing shot from the bottom of the left circle. The referees had to review the game before confirming that there was no goal.
L’Heureux went to the dungeon at 6:52 in the first period (he tripped).
Zachary Bolduc and Malatesta (twice) had chances, but the Remparts power play was muzzled for the ninth consecutive time.
“We try to be too perfect (in terms of superiority), said Remparts coach Patrick Roy. You have to send the puck to the goal and get the rebounds. »
In the second minute of the second period, L’Heureux spotted Evan Boucher, who spun alone and beat Rousseau between the pads at 1:19.
Malatesta closed the gap to 2:40 with a wrist shot after keeping the puck in a 2-on-1.
Justin Robidas had made a good effort to put him back on the left flank, falling.
The visitors restored the margin to two goals at 6:32, L’Heureux beating Rousseau in a similar manner to Boucher.
Patrick Roy’s troop obtained another superiority in the middle of the engagement. Langlois missed a chance to score by coming to the left mouth, then the advantage was quickly canceled by a penalty to Pier-Olivier Roy.
Langlois recovered by taking advantage of a loose puck in the middle of the period, reducing the opposing priority to 3-2.
With just over six minutes left in the period, Malatesta was frustrated at close range by Rousseau.
During a superiority of the visitors in the third twenty, Mathis Rousseau closed the door to Kassim Gaudet of the Remparts, during a three against two.
The series will therefore continue in Nova Scotia.
“We didn’t expect them to give us a present,” Roy said. We will have to be even better (Sunday). »