(Kamloops) The Quebec Remparts scored three goals in a span of four and a half minutes, breaking a 1-1 tie early in the second period, and opened the Memorial Cup tournament with an 8-3 win over the Kamloops Blazers, host club of the competition, Friday evening.
James Malatesta scored three of the goals for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champions and Kassim Gaudet added a brace.
Nathan Gaucher, Théo Rochette and Zachary Bolduc also hit the target for the Remparts, who finished the first 40 minutes with a 5-2 lead. Rochette and Bolduc also got one assist each.
Justin Robidas and Pier-Olivier Roy also contributed to the Quebec offense with three and two assists, respectively.
Caedan Bankier, Daylan Kuefler and Matthew Seminoff scored for the Blazers, who were outshot 33-30. Logan Stankoven was involved in all of the Blazers’ goals.
According to Robidas, the Remparts players were “a bit nervous” at the start of the game, but felt relaxed in the second period and gained confidence as the game progressed.
“In the first period, (the Blazers) came out strong and we weren’t necessarily ready for that,” said Robidas, who finished with a defensive ratio of 4, as did Gaudet and Nicolas Savoie.
“Second, we calmed the crowd down a bit, took the momentum and went from there. »
Gaucher admitted he was thrilled with the end result, but also reminded reporters there was still a lot of work to do.
After scoring the first goal of the game in the first period, Malatesta started the explosion of the Remparts in the second period by touching the target after only 65 seconds of play in the engagement.
Gaucher made it 3-1 at 3:07 and Rochette took advantage of a power play to extend the Quebec squad’s lead to 5:42.
After Gaudet’s first goal, succeeded at 15:20 of the second period, the Blazers reacted less than a minute later, thanks to Kuefler.
Seminoff then cut the Remparts’ lead to 5-3 early in the third period, but Gaudet hurt the hosts by scoring his second of the game, this one shorthanded, midway through the period.
The Remparts successfully exploited their only numerical superiority of the game while the Blazers were limited to one goal from seven opportunities.
The Remparts will play their second game of the preliminary round on Monday night, against the Thunderbirds.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the WHL representatives will face off against the OHL champions Peterborough Petes in a game scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Quebec time.
The Petes and Blazers will meet on Sunday at the same time.