HALIFAX | The Remparts reiterated the importance of staying in the present moment several times in the hours leading up to Game 5 of Friday’s final, when they had the opportunity to raise the Gilles Courteau trophy aloft in front of their fans. Despite all that goodwill, human nature may have prevailed, striker Mikaël Huchette recognised.
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However, it’s hard to blame them. With a 3-1 lead in the series, the Red Devils had the opportunity to win their first QMJHL championship in 47 years in front of a packed Videotron Center (18,259 viewers).
“We did some good things and dominated the game,” Huchette said shortly after the team arrived at the Scotiabank Center for Sunday’s sixth game. Certainly there was a bit of stress and we came up with the perfect scenario. We may already be thinking about winning and we wanted to do that in front of our fans. Whether we end up winning here or in front of our fans, it will be special anyway. Of course we think about it, but the goal of every game is to win it. We can’t wait, that’s for sure.”
Didier Debusschere / Le Journal de Quebec
Michael Huchette
“We have fun”
One thing is certain: the general atmosphere in the team remained relaxed despite Friday’s defeat.
“We’re among friends, we’re having fun and we don’t want, those are beautiful moments. We’re in the grand junior final. Now we want to wrap this up as soon as possible so we can start thinking about the Memorial Cup. But first we have to win the next game.
Quebec will have a second chance to win the big trophy and Patrick Roy is still confident.
“What we did wrong can easily be corrected. […] I look at how we played yesterday [vendredi]We did great things and played a good game. They were more opportunistic than we were. We could have made certain decisions better on the attacking blue line and that cost us the three goals. I tell myself that it will be okay if we play the same game, especially when I look at the way we’ve played here in recent games,” he said, noting that his side won both games in Halifax had previously won in the series.
A team that fights back
The Remparts head coach now believes the key is avoiding costly turnovers as the Mooseheads excel on the break.
“On Friday I saw a team defending, firing the puck at the other end and chasing it hoping we would make mistakes. They defended very well and positioned themselves behind their goalkeeper. I didn’t find them a threat in our area. On the other hand, they were very good when we conceded turnovers because they started to counterattack again afterwards. It is their strength, their bread and their butter. We have to get better at that.”
Didier Debusschere / Le Journal de Quebec
Patrick Roy
And in the case of goalie Mathis Rousseau, who vowed on Friday his team would not lose for a third straight game in Halifax, Roy reiterated what he said after Game 5: He was a good Friday, but the Remparts made him that don’t live hard.
“I thought it was okay, but I didn’t say ‘wow.’ He did what he had to do. We didn’t start well and often used our paddles to try to hide it. Sometimes it works, but it’s rare. He seems to have regained his confidence but we still scored two goals.
Sunday’s game starts at 4 p.m. Should a seventh game be needed, it would take place the next day, Monday night, at 7 p.m. at the Videotron Center.