Renaud Poulin was the only skater to move the ropes by outwitting Raphaël Précourt with a clever feint. Officially, the Sags netminder still signed a second consecutive shutout, after the one acquired on Saturday against the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
And the doggies in all this? The 3,248 spectators were invited to throw them on the ice with one minute and 14 seconds left in the third period. An unusual situation to say the least, it goes without saying. For beginners, the stuffed animals must normally be sent onto the ice surface at the home team’s first base.
Chances, but no goal
No goals were scored in the first half, but there were a few good scoring chances. The second trio of Thomas Desruisseaux, Nathan Lecompte and Emmanuel Vermette spent a complete presence in opposing territory, without however succeeding in capitalizing.
Desruisseaux got another opportunity to thread the needle, on a pass from Lucas Leblanc, just after a numerical disadvantage for the Sags. Riley Mercer had the last word with the tip of the right pad, even if the shot was not the most powerful.
Among the Voltigeurs, Maxime Lafond got his team’s first throw, on a breakaway, but Raphaël Précourt kept an eye on the blocker.
The scenario repeated itself in the middle period, despite four power plays, two on each side. Précourt remained intractable, while the Saguenéens attackers came within a few centimeters of counting at five against four. As if the puck refused to cooperate.
The Saguenéens receive a big visit on Thursday evening. The leaders in the general classification, the Moncton Wildcats, are in town, after a first stop in Quebec the day before to compete against the Remparts.
Jacob Gomez played his first two games in the QMJHL this weekend. (Sophie Lavoie/Le Quotidien)
FEATHER TIPS
• A scene that was both rare and pleasant took place at the start of the warm-up period on Saturday between the Sherbrooke Phoenix and the Saguenéens. For their first career match in the QMJHL, Robin Benoit of the Phoenix, of Saint-Félicien, and Jacob Gomez of the Sags, of Jonquière, were entitled to their lap of honor. There were therefore only two players on the ice and both were from Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. Remember that this match brought together no less than five regional skaters…
• In the case of Robin Benoit, he obtained his release during Friday’s game in Baie-Comeau, so that he was able to be in uniform, at the last minute, on Saturday. The 17-year-old forward started the season in the BCHL in Alberta. He intends to wear the colors of the University of Nebraska, in the NCAA, after his junior internship…
