FINAL: Team Russia 4, Team QMJHL 3
DRUMMONDVILLE, Que. – After years of mediocrity in the Subway Super Series, the Russians are finally doing something right.
After taking the first game of the 2010 series over the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League All-Stars in Saint John Monday, they couldn’t possibly take Game Two as well, could they? Well, they did.
A 4-3 victory over Team QMJHL Wednesday night in Drummondville gave the Russians a two game sweep to open the event. The Russians also swept the QMJHL back in 2004 with both games being decided in a shootout. The visitors have never won more than two games in this six match event.
The Russians played a similar game to the one they performed Monday at Harbour Station. They slowly picked away at the QMJHL squad and the took the lead in the second period. Like in Game One, neither team held a two goal lead at any point.
Jonathan Brunelle of the hometown Voltigeurs put Team QMJHL ahead 1-0 when he scored at 4:08. But the Russians would reply at 5:48 after a point shot was stopped by QMJHL starter Maxime Clermont but couldn’t stop the rebound as Vladimir Malinovskiy tied the match at 1-1.
After a scrum in front of the net, a Russian forward gave a few slaps to Saint John Sea Dog Jonathan Huberdeau face.
“Huberdeau a little feisty tonight,” commented Rogers Sportsnet play-by-play man Rob Faulds.
The Canadian squad would have a late power play but couldn’t tie the match.
Team QMJHL got their lead back at 3:14 of the second period. A Nicolas Deslauriers point shot went wide and bounced off the boards. Huberdeau found it and sent it through the crease to an open Ryan Kavanagh. The Quebec Rempart had a wide open net and made it 2-1.
But the Russians would respond as they have done all tournament long. On the power play, a pass from the boards found Nikita Dvurechensky in front. He performed a spin move and released a shot on net that skimmed through Clermont to tie the match at 2-2.
The visitors would then take a 3-2 lead at 9:44 when Dvurechensky fired a wrist shot from the slot and beat Clermont give the Russians their first lead in match.
Later on, Huberdeau sent a great pass from behind the goal that found an open Sean Couturier in front but was denied by Russian netminder Emil Garipov. The Sportsnet crew then discussed the chemistry involving Huberdeau and Couturier and the possibility of the two playing on a line at the world juniors in the future.
Team QMJHL tied the game at 2:26 on the power play. Moncton Wildcat defenseman Brandon Gormley fired a point shot and deflected past the Russian goaltender to make it a 3-3 game.
But at 6:57, the Russians would once again retake the lead. Denis Golubev made a great play at the line by throwing Nathan Beaulieu off the puck. He carried the puck into the zone and dished it over to Artemiy Panarian who had a wide open net to make it 4-3.
Fast forward to the final minute and Domingue on the bench in favour of the extra attacker, Team QMJHL put the pressure on and had a few good scoring chances but could not tie the match, giving Russia their second win of the Super Series.
Shots in the game were 49-22 in favour of the Canadians.
Russia went one-for two on the power play while the QMJHL All-Stars went one-for-three.
NOTES: See Super Series Postscript tomorrow.
NEXT GAME: The Russians head to London, Ontario tomorrow to face the OHL All-Stars.
Photo Credit: Marc Henwood/Station Nation
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