(Quebec) Halifax scored five unanswered goals and the Mooseheads won 6-3 against the Remparts in Quebec City on Saturday, tying the QMJHL final with one win apiece.
Alexandre Doucet sounded the charge late in the first period, with his 11e series goal.
The Sherbrooke resident was the league’s top scorer in the regular season, with 58 goals.
Doucet completed a double with 1:23 on the clock, in an empty net.
Zachary L’Heureux, Jake Furlong, Brady Schultz and Josh Lawrence also scored for the Mooseheads.
“Hard work is so important,” said visitors coach Sylvain Favreau. The battles along the boards, the loose pucks.
“(Friday), we weren’t up to par in those aspects. This evening, I very much appreciated our working habits. »
Doucet echoed this.
“Both clubs want to win, so it comes down to the small details,” said the 21-year-old.
L’Heureux is a prospect for the Predators, while Furlong is an up-and-coming player for the Sharks.
Mathis Rousseau made 21 saves, being beaten by Zachary Bolduc, James Malatesta and Justin Robidas.
“We didn’t expect an easy series,” said Remparts coach Patrick Roy.
“(That said), we didn’t play a good match. We did lace in the neutral zone. We gave them the meeting. »
Bolduc was drafted by the Blues and Malatesta by the Blue Jackets.
William Rousseau blocked 24 shots in a losing cause.
“They have character,” Bolduc said. They showed it at the expense of the Phoenix. We have to get back to basics and use our strengths as much as possible. »
Games 3 and 4 are Tuesday and Wednesday in Halifax.
Bolduc gave the Remparts a 1-0 lead at 7:56 in the first period. He scored with a one-timer, following a pass from captain Théo Rochette.
Malatesta added the cushion less than six minutes later. He sent the disc into the skylight, from the left circle.
Doucet cut the lead to 19:49 in the first period, redirecting Markus Vidicek’s throw-in.
L’Heureux tied the score at 3:36 in the second period from a difficult angle from the left corner of the rink.
The Mooseheads took control at 5:28 in the second period, when Furlong converted a pass from Mathieu Cataford.
Schultz made it 4-2 at 10:59 in the second period, with a veiled shot from the top of the slot.
Lawrence completed the push at 18:32 in the second period, from the heart of the opposing zone.
Robidas scored his team’s third goal 4:39 from the end of the game.
The Remparts led the league with 109 points in the regular season, two more than the Mooseheads.
Halifax came to the Old Capital with four straight wins at the expense of the Sherbrooke Phoenix, before dropping the first game against the Remparts.
Quebec reached the final round by sweeping Charlottetown, Rimouski and Gatineau.