Remparts a win away from QMJHL title

Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Mooseheads

HALIFAX - The Quebec Remparts will have the chance to lift the Gilles-Courteau Trophy on home ice Friday night.

The Remparts took a 3-1 series lead in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's championship series on Wednesday at Scotiabank Centre, defeating the Halifax Mooseheads 2-1. The best-of-seven series now shifts back to Quebec City for Game 5 on Friday.

Zachary Bolduc scored what proved to be the game-winner at 13:11 of the third period, breaking a 1-1 tie. Theo Rochette scored Quebec's other goal while William Rousseau made 26 saves in the win.

Rochette ➡️ Bolduc = 🚨.
Quebec takes a 2-1 lead with under 7 minutes to play!#QPlayoffs | @quebec_remparts pic.twitter.com/MwPnDWFr3Z

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 18, 2023

Evan Boucher scored Halifax's lone goal while Mathis Rousseau stoped 30 shots in the loss. The Mooseheads played without forward Zachary L'Heureux and defenseman David Moravec due to injuries and lost captain Atillio Biasca with an injury in the first period.

The Mooseheads had a rough opening period and were fortunate to be down just 1-0. Shots were 7-0 Remparts when Theo Rochette scored at 2:54 of the first to open the scoring. Halifax didn't record a shot on goal until the 6:14 mark.

Shots in the first ended 20-6 in favour of Quebec.

It looked as though Markus Vidicek had tied the game near the midway mark of the period but, after a review, the goal was called off due to an apparent hand pass on the play.

The Mooseheads did tie things up at 11:53 of the second when Boucher ripped a shot past Rousseau. Shots were 9-7 in favour of the Moose in the second as they got back into the game - something we've seen several times from this Halifax squad this post-season.

Halifax had two power plays in the third period but could not connect, allowing Bolduc to net the game-winner at 13:11.

Bolduc joue les héros ce soir! 👏

©Trevor MacMillan pic.twitter.com/LxAw8efHEE

— XYZ - Remparts de Québec (@quebec_remparts) May 18, 2023

A few other Wednesday notes...

• The start of Wednesday's game was delayed by roughly 10 minutes due to a medical issue involving a fan. The fan was stretchered out of the building by paramedics.
• Attendance at Scotiabank Centre was 10,300 - a sellout.
• Joe Veleno had a goal and two assists in Team Canada's 5-1 victory over Kazakhstan on Wednesday at the IIHF World Championship. Playing on Canada's top line once again, Veleno also had five shots in 14:00 of ice time. Canada is back in action on Saturday against Switzerland.
• Ben Roode and the Yarmouth Mariners have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Centennial Cup. The Mariners defeated Nikolas Hurtubise and the Terrebonne Cobras 3-2 on Wednesday in the final game of the preliminary round for both teams. Hurtubise made 24 saves in what was his final game of junior hockey. The netminder has committed to Concordia University of next season.
• The Centennial Cup quarterfinals take place on Friday. The semifinals are Saturday and the championship game Sunday.
• The Peterborough Petes took a 3-1 lead in the OHL championship series on Wednesday night, beating the London Knights 5-3.