SHERBROOKE | Phoenix fans have been blessed this season as their home favorites have lost just one regular game. Nothing to impress the Mooseheads and their goalie Mathis Rousseau, who resisted a comeback.
• Also read: QMJHL: The phoenix gets its own medicine
• Also read: I predicted Gatineau in 7, I screwed up, but no, I don’t have to “take” for the Remparts.
• Also read: QMJHL: The quick triumph of the Remparts surprises many
The visitors signed a second consecutive 5-2 win to tie this QMJHL semi-final 2-2.
The Phoenix had never fallen three goals behind in 2022-2023. But in the last two games, Halifax have taken a 4-0 lead, much to the chagrin of Sherbrooke fans.
For the second game in a row, the Mooseheads opened the shot on goal by just one man. Mathieu Cataford responded with an upper-body injury in the absence of league top scorer Jordan Dumais. The young striker capitalized on a blunder by Israel Mianscum.
“Our first period wasn’t good yet,” noted Stéphane Julien, Circuit Coach of the Year, from Phoenix. The first goal, we’re one against three and we put the puck in ourselves. I thought we were a bit nervous in the first game and the first goal cut our legs. »
Unrecognizable
Despite a few flashes here and there in a packed 4,005-strong Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet, the Phoenixes failed to breach Rousseau’s wall for the first 20 minutes of the game, but Joshua Roy and Tyson Hinds livened up the crowd by beating Rousseau the last third. But it was too little, too late.
“Guys can push offense because they know I’ll be there at the back if there’s a mistake,” said Rousseau, author of 32 saves.
According to the author of 32 Stops, if the wind has switched sides, it’s a matter of confidence.
“Sherbrooke came to us after demolishing his opponents,” added Rousseau. Maybe we were a little scared. We told ourselves that we could play and that we didn’t finish second in the league for nothing. »
Julien’s protégés were too often unrecognizable, imprecise and undisciplined, and they played quietly and without conviction. Halifax didn’t ask that much. Captain Attilio Biasca and Evan Boucher both got on target on a power play. Alexandre Doucet scored two goals, including a goal in an abandoned net, and defender Owen Phillips was involved in three goals for his team.
The sense of urgency
“I would like to play better,” said goalkeeper Olivier Adam humbly, who gave up four times in 27 shots. I think Rousseau made more saves than I did. It’s my job to try to be better. »
“You have to forget the two home games,” said Roy. We don’t want to play like that. We want to limit turnover and goal chances and we’re not doing that at the moment. […] We came out strong third, but at 4-0 it’s hard to come back. You need to have a sense of urgency during a game. »
►The next games will be in Halifax on Saturday and Sherbrooke on Sunday. Should a final duel be necessary, it will be played in Nova Scotia on Tuesday.