RIMOUSKI – Robert Orr scored two goals to lead the Gatineau Olympiques to a 5-1 win over the Rimouski Oceanic this Friday night in Outaouais in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams.
• Read also: The Océanic plays a doubleheader in Gatineau
• Read also: The third fatal period at the Océanic
Julien Béland scored the Océanic’s only goal in the second period to reduce the deficit to 2-1, but the Olympiques’ third goal scored by Zach Dean hurt Serge Beausoleil’s men. Zach Dean and Cole Cormier end the match with three points each (1 goal and two assists) for the winners.
“The score does not reflect the pace of the game. We led 11-7 in scoring chances. On the other hand, we caused turnovers that hurt us. Luke Coughlin played a game not far from A+ in his first game of the season. He moved his feet well. Béland continues to be consistent as clockwork,” analyzed Océanic head coach Serge Beausoleil.
First shared period
Fairly mixed first period. The Océanic threatened, without being able to score during a power play early in the game. As soon as he came out of the penalty box, the former Océanic Cole Cormier went into the opposing zone before handing the disc to Robert Orr who opened the scoring by beating the Océanic goalkeeper, Patrik Hamrla, with a impossible angle between the leggings.
Costly turnaround for the Océanic
At the start of the second, the Olympiques orchestrated a quick four-on-one counterattack. Colin Ratt caught the Océanic goaltender before handing it to Orr who took advantage of a gaping cage to double the home side’s lead. The Océanic’s best forward for a few weeks, Julien Béland (11th) took advantage of a long comeback granted by the Olympiques goalkeeper, Tye Austin, on a shot by Frédéric Brunet to reduce the gap to one goal. That goal gave the visitors momentum until Zach Dean made it 3-1 with a turning shot that Hamrla didn’t seem to be expecting.
Another paying excess for the Olympics
In the middle of the third period, Cormier completed Samuel Savoie’s fine pass on a perfectly played two-on-one run. The Océanic goalie couldn’t do anything about it. Late in the game, defender Tristan Luneau gave the Olympiques a 5-1 lead with a shot from the blue line.
In short
Defenders Spencer Gill and Cory MacGillivray and forwards Maxim Coursol and Jude Campbell were all left out.
The same two teams will cross swords again on Saturday afternoon in Gatineau where it will be the doggie game.