QMJHL: Waterfall in the Final

We weren’t expecting anything other than a dramatic final yesterday between the Remparts and Cataractes and that’s exactly what happened. Former Red Devils Beric Dobby’s goal with 47.7 seconds left in the third game allowed the Cataracts to join the Charlottetown Islanders in the President’s Cup Final.

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Dobi took advantage of the penalty kick imposed on Vsevolod Komarov with 1 minute and 9 seconds left in the match to score his second goal and give his team a 4-3 lead. He then completed a hat-trick in an empty net to consolidate his team’s 5-3 victory.

However, Remparts took a 3-1 lead in the second half thanks to two missed goals by Conor Frenet, but the waterfall came back from behind thanks to Martin Haas’ goal at the end of the second half and another ‘Isaac Maynard’. At the beginning of the third period.

“Last year, I lost in the semi-finals here and now to win and reach the final with this group, it’s an unbelievable feeling, said Dobby. It’s special to do it with this group. We were two behind and showed character again.”

Coach Daniel Reno raised his hat to his team’s personality.

“I would have never thought, a month ago, that we were at this point mentally. It has been our Achilles heel for most of the season. Our way of responding to adversity. Our group has matured, led us first, and has grown mentally a lot.”

bitter defeat

At the Camp Remparts, Patrick Roy poorly absorbed the defeat. Not because of his team’s match, but because of the invitation of the official Olivier Guin.

“Losing as we lost is disappointing. We worked hard all season, worked hard and I am proud of our players who gave themselves body and soul. No team deserves to lose like this.

“It’s a lack of judgment, period. It’s disappointing. I see our players with their eyes in the water and finish a season like this when they do that.” [les officiels] They had a whistle in their pockets throughout the match. Nobody has the right to lose themselves. I’ve been doing this for a long time but this one, transfers to the very stiff body. »

ruin progress

Despite the energy of the large crowd, the Remparts had a slow start that allowed the Falls to take the lead through Dubé.

Patrick Roy’s men improved their pace somewhat in the second half of the clash and took advantage of their numerical advantage to equalize.

Seconds after Théo Rochette reached the post, Xavier Filion seized a return to sow hysteria at the Videotron Center we hadn’t heard of for a long time.

Over the festive season, Patrick Roy acquired Conor Frenette from Victoriaville Tigres to add his experience as last year’s President’s Cup champion to his locker room.

The 20-year-old striker has been conservative so far in the playoffs, proving to be his head coach yesterday during the most important game of the season. Moved to the third-line position of the match, Frenet scored two unanswered goals in the second half, the first of which was cut short to give Remparts a two-goal lead, which Martin parried before the end of the clash.

Isaac Maynard then put everyone back in square one at the start of the third inning, taking advantage of a defensive scramble to escape and beating William Russo on his right side.

On top of that, the Rimparts goalkeeper was brilliant again yesterday, making some great saves, particularly against Maverick Burke in the second half.

After all, the Trois-Rivières goalkeeper blamed the third goal for Cataractes.

“I wanted to make a difference. At 3-1, I wanted to close the door and I know I would have been able to. The third goal I had to get out of my net but that’s part of the match. I will learn from this. It was the first time I found myself in a final match.”

Yesterday’s loss also ended the careers of three 20-year-old Remparts players Frenette, Louis Crevier and Fabio Iacobo.

“I was injured for a long time when I arrived but I saw the team growing, the players growing and the people growing. I am proud of them. Pat often said we had a special group and it was a pleasure working with them to finish my little career,” said Frenette, who is planning to join To the Patriots of the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres next season. Unless there is a professional presentation.

Ultimate Cats – Islanders

For their part, the Cataracts will face the Charlottetown Islands in the Grand Final starting on Saturday. The two teams have faced each other twice this season, each winning a match.

Furthermore, Charlottetown will miss the striker and Montreal Canadiens await Xavier Simono for the first game in the final. QMJHL announced yesterday that it has been suspended for one match for giving it a Xavier Parent tape during match number one. 4 in the series against the Sherbrooke Phoenix, Monday night.

On the Remparts side, the rarity continues. The organization has not won the President’s Cup since the 1975-76 season, that is, 46 years ago. They have only reached the final twice in the 25 years since their revival in 1997.