There were big smiles in the Quebec Remparts locker room on Saturday night. After suffering four straight defeats at the start of the season, the team recorded just its second win in as many days, beating Val-d’Or Foreurs 3-2 on penalties.
The Foreurs, trying to bounce back from their loss the previous day to the Red Devils, took a double numerical lead midway through the first period through Mathis Ouellet. Then the Remparts responded a few moments later through Andrew Gweon as he jumped on a puck that Zachaël Turgeon had dropped in the defensive zone.
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In the second period, the guests took the lead again on the power play, thanks to a goal from Mont-Joli native Nathan Drapeau. However, they had to give up more than twenty shots in the third period when veteran Zachary Marquis-Laflamme tied the game and forced overtime. This was not a fight and Vsevolod Kamarov sealed the outcome of the game during the 5th wave of shootouts.
“I enjoyed our first two lessons, but we are still a young group. We have to learn to finish our games. “Without saying that we fell by the wayside in the third period, we were certainly not the attackers,” analyzed Foreurs coach Maxime DesRuisseaux after the game.
Trust
In the Remparts camp, striker Mikaël Huchette and head coach Éric Veilleux noted that the weekend’s two wins would be good for the team’s confidence.
“To have played the two games against a team that hadn’t lost [avant de nous rencontrer]for the confidence, it’s fun,” said Huchette in particular, affirming that the fact that “everyone worked on their task” made the difference.
The Saint-Hyacinthe native also highlighted the work of goaltender Quentin Miller, who made 29 saves, including several crucial saves in overtime. This praise was also shared by Éric Veilleux. “He showed last year that he is a good goalkeeper. He was drafted. Today he proved what the National League thought of him. He’s building an identity and confidence, which is a very good sign.”
Finding discipline
However, the next challenge for the Red Devils will be to find a way to visit the penalty box less regularly. After admitting six numerical superiorities to their opponent the day before, they offered seven on Saturday afternoon.
“We have to address this. There are many new players at the start. “I won’t blame anyone, our numerical disadvantage and our goalkeepers are doing well, but this is not the best approach to a game,” Veilleux argued, unable to explain his team’s indiscipline. “If I knew, after six [désavantages numériques] yesterday we wouldn’t have caught seven today. Like the players, we also have tomorrow off. We’ll think of something…”
The Remparts will return to action on Thursday when they take on the Phoenix in Sherbrooke.