Rouyn-Noranda moves into first place in the West for the first time all season with the victory.
The first busy Saturday of QMJHL action saw a a few teams pick up big results, but none bigger than Rouyn-Noranda.
Zoomed In: Rouyn-Noranda (6) - Blainville-Boisbriand (4)
Huskies forward Nathan Langlois posted a hat trick in the team's big victory Saturday. (Photo: Sébastien Gervais)For essentially the entire season, the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada have held top spot in the Western conference.
On Saturday, that finally changed. The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies came into the Centre d'excellence Sports Rousseau, and exited with a victory and sole possession of top spot in the conference, and the third best record in the QMJHL.
The first period was all Armada. They outshot the Huskies 11-6, and outscored them two to nothing through goals from Theo Lemieux and St. Louis Blues star prospect Justin Carbonneau.
The tide began to shift in a busy second period, seeing six combined goals between the two teams. It started just 23 seconds in, where Nathan Langlois scored his first of the contest. Then, he doubled down to tie the game seven minutes later.
Matt Gosselin's 18th of the year gave Blainville the lead back, before Axel Dufresne put the teams back level. Carbonneau's 30th of the campaign was canceled out by rookie Charlie Benigno's power-play marker, leaving the teams knotted at four apiece heading into the third.
In the final frame, it was Langlois again, completing his hat trick on the man advantage, giving the Huskies the lead for the first time in the game, which they wouldn't give up. Eliot Ogonowski iced it with four minutes to go, and Rouyn-Noranda took it 6-4.
Langlois' hat trick wasn't the only three-point night, as Samuel Beauchemin had three assists in the win. Ogonowski (1+1), Antoine St-Laurent (0+2) and Thomas Verdon (0+2) also had multi-point affairs. Buffalo Sabres prospect Samuel Meloche stopped 25 of 29 shots in the victory.
On the other end, Carbonneau scored a pair, both assisted by Pittsburgh Penguins first-rounder Bill Zonnon. The goaltending woes in Blainville-Boisbriand continued, as Zach Pelletier stopped just 23 of 29 shots sent his way in his second start of the season.
Other Scores
Val-d'Or (3) - Victoriaville (2)
Drummondville (3) - Quebec (5)
Chicoutimi (4) - Sherbrooke (2)
Baie-Comeau (1) - Rimouski (4)
Gatineau (1) - Newfoundland (3)
Charlottetown (1) - Cape Breton (4)
Moncton (3) - Halifax (2) (SO)
Player of the Night
Nathan Langlois (ROU) - 3 goals, 0 assists
Tonight's Games
Halifax at Saint John - 2 PM EST
Charlottetown at Cape Breton - 2 PM EST
Gatineau at Newfoundland - 2:30 PM EST
Baie-Comeau at Rimouski - 3 PM EST
Val-d'Or at Blainville-Boisbriand - 3 PM EST
Chicoutimi at Victoriaville - 4 PM EST
Rouyn-Noranda at Shawinigan - 4 PM EST
Quebec at Drummondville - 4 PM EST
Related
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