(Image: Guy Carbonneau handed the player of the game award to Gabriel Bourque - photo credit - Ghyslain Bergeron)
DRUMMONDVILLE, Monday, November 16, 2009 – Team QMJHL delivered a gutsy effort in the first game of the Subway Super Series, scoring three second period markers en route to a 3-1 victory over Team Russia at the Marcel-Dionne Centre.
Neither team managed to score in the first frame, but it took only eleven seconds for Philippe Cornet to open the scoring in the second period. The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies’ forward buried the puck past Russian goaltender Alexander Zalivin after receiving a great feed from his former teammate in Rimouski, Patrice Cormier.
Gabriel Bourque gave Team QMJHL a two-goal lead with a quick wrist-shot from the bottom of the face-off circle at 7:25. Then, Michael Kirkpatrick officially opened the floodgates, making it 3-0 by poking a rebound past the sprawling goaltender on the power-play.
Maxim Karpov cut into the home team’s lead by beating Olivier Roy with a wrist-shot on his stick side before the end of the second period.
Karpov’s marker would end up being the contest’s last goal.
"I thought the guys played with a lot of determination," said Team QMJHL head coach André Tourigny. "They played like it was a championship game. I’m very pleased with the energy they displayed throughout the game."
Gabriel Bourque was named the player of the game for Team QMJHL while Alexander Zalivin got the nod for the Russian squad.
The second test for Team QMJHL will be next Wednesday at the Centre Bionest in Shawinigan. The puck drops at 7:00 pm (ET). Fans unable to attend can watch the game on Rogers Sportsnet, RDS or on the INSINC webcast.
