Rouyn-Noranda needed a win to boost their odds of winning the West alive, and they delivered against a struggling Olympiques team.
The second-last Saturday of regular season QMJHL action saw five games in action, with some teams still vying for the top seeds in their respective conferences. One of those teams is Rouyn-Noranda, who picked up a needed victory on the road.
Zoomed In: Rouyn-Noranda (3) - Gatineau (1)
Rouyn-Noranda forward Jayden Pominville celebrates with his goaltender, Samuel Meloche, after Pominville tied the game in the second period. (Photo: Dominic Charette)While all the talk at the top of the West has seemingly been between Drummondville and Blainville-Boisbriand, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have kept themselves in the conversation.
They entered Saturday's contest having won six of their last seven games, and were looking to take over top spot in the conference with a victory on Saturday in Gatineau (though having played a game more than the Armada and Voltigeurs).
The first period didn't go quite to plan, however. Finn Barton's goal stood as the only tally in the opening frame, and the Olympiques took the lead into the intermission.
It took until the 16:08 mark of the second to finally find an equalizer, as a Jayden Pominville marker on the power play knotted the game up at one, a score which held the rest of the middle frame.
In the third, Swiss import Lars Steiner gave the visitors their first lead of the night, and Antoine St-Laurent scored the insurance marker.
These goals proved to be enough, as the Huskies locked it down the rest of the way, and ended Saturday one point above both the Armada and Volts in the standings.
Thomas Verdon came up big once again, staying hot with another two assists. Samuel Meloche stopped 22 of 23 shots to pick up his 31st win of the season.
Other Scores
Halifax (4) - Saint John (2)
Baie-Comeau (2) - Shawinigan (10)
Val-d'Or (0) - Sherbrooke (4)
Moncton (3) - Newfoundland (2) (OT)
Player of the Night
Mathieu Plante (SHA) - 2 goals, 3 assists
Tonight's Games
Saint John at Charlottetown - 1 PM EDT
Moncton at Newfoundland - 2:30 PM EDT
Drummondville at Blainville-Boisbriand - 3 PM EDT
Sherbrooke at Quebec - 3 PM EDT
Rimouski at Chicoutimi - 4 PM EDT
Baie-Comeau at Victoriaville - 4 PM EDT
Related
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