Rimouski tries to get back into QMJHL Final against Moncton in Game 3
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The Rimouski Oceanic look to get back into the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Championship Series against the Moncton Wildcats in Game 3 on Wednesday.
Moncton took a 2-0 series lead on Sunday after a dramatic 4-3 double overtime victory in Game 2 that saw forward Vincent Collard play the hero with the winner.
St. Louis Blues prospect Juraj Pekarcik had a goal and an assist while top NHL Draft prospect Caleb Desnoyers and Calgary Flames draft pick Etienne Morin added three assists each in the victory.
Captain Markus Vidicek also scored for the Wildcats.
"There's a lot of confidence in this team," Wildcats head coach Gardiner MacDougall said after the game. "The secret of success in the playoffs is to find a way to win one-goal games. This group has lots of resilience and find different ways to win. We've had nine or 10 different guys score the game-winner in one-goal games [this season] and it was a big goal by Collard tonight.
"You need these moments to build confidence and built the character of the group. You need resilience to be one goal better."
With the three points on Sunday, Desnoyers continues to lead the QMJHL in playoff scoring with nine goals and 28 points and is four points behind Philippe Dupuis for the most playoff points in a single postseason in Wildcats' history set in 2005-06.
Additionally, Morin is now seven points shy for the most playoff points all-time in Wildcats history with three goals and 38 points behind Conor Garland.
Goaltender Rudy Guimond had to be on his game to preserve the victory, making 28 of 31 saves. The Detroit Red Wings prospect remains perfect in his QMJHL career after going 16-0-0 in the regular season and 8-0 in the playoffs.
Last season's QMJHL MVP Mathieu Cataford and forward Jack Martin recorded goals in the first period for Rimouski while regular season leading scorer Jonathan Fauchon scored late in the third period to tie the game and send it to overtime.
William Lacelle did everything he could to keep the Oceanic in the game, stopping 42 of 46 shots in the loss.
Heading into Game 3, Rimouski could have some help coming off injured reserve as defenceman Luke Coughlin has been skating with the team and close to a return, according to head coach Joël Perrault.
"We have had a very resilient group since Day 1," Perrault said after the game. "In a season like this year, with the expectations we've been facing all year, I'm really proud of this group. That's why I know these guys will be ready for next game because they've done it all year.
"Hopefully we get a guy like Coughlin coming back. He's one of our best defencemen and just to see him getting closer and skating with the group is already a big boost."
Coughlin appeared in 54 games this season, recording four goals and 24 points with a plus-28 rating. He has a goal and three points in eight games in the playoffs with a plus-2 rating.
The QMJHL Final continues on Thursday with Game 4 which can be seen LIVE at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on TSN3/5, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.
The CHL on TSN continues on Wednesday with Gavin McKenna and the Medicine Hat Tigers battling the Spokane Chiefs in Game 4 of the WHL Final, which can be seen LIVE at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on TSN1/5, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.