An offensive battle at the Slush Puppie Center

GATINEAU – The Olympiques returned to the Slush Puppie Centre in front of 4139 fans after spending almost two weeks on the road with the Val-d’Or Foreurs.

8 goals in the 1st period

It’s rare to see 8 goals scored in a game… Tonight, it was the case in less than 20 minutes! The Olympiques’ 8 first period goals are also a franchise record!

The crowd favorites wasted no time in opening the scoring as Riley Kidney sent a cross-ice pass to Alexis Gendron for his 30th goal of the season. Just 18 seconds after Gendron’s goal, Charles-Antoine Pilote found the back of the net to double his team’s lead.

Moments after the Foreurs made it 2-1, Cam MacDonald showed his versatility when he intercepted a shorthanded puck and broke away to give the Gatineau team a two goal lead. Just 80 seconds later, Riley Kidney made a spectacular move before firing a backhanded shot past the Foreurs goalie to triple the lead.

Four goals in 1:25

At 17:09, Olivier Boutin made it 5-2 with a shot that beat the Foreurs’ goalie in the top corner. 20 seconds after Boutin’s goal (17:29), Sam Savoie scored his 19th of the season and 6th in the first period for his team, and then scored his 20th of the season and 7th for the Olympiques at 17:54. Olivier Nadeau completed the first period offensive festival with a shorthanded goal at 18:34 of the first period and brought the score to 8-2 in favor of Gatineau.
A “slightly” calmer 2nd period…

At 17:06 of the second period, the Gatineau power play bombarded the opposing net before Riley Kidney took advantage of a rebound and scored his second of the game on the sequence. Nadeau and Luneau would get assists on the ‘Piques 9th goal.

With less than a minute left in the second period, Vincent Maisonneuve directs a puck towards the net. The rebound of Maisonneuve’s shot lands on Nadeau’s stick for Gatineau’s 10th goal. Nadeau gets a 2nd goal and a 6th point in the game and Kidney gets a 4th point in the game on the sequence.

Victory!

In the middle of the 3rd period, Colin Ratt gets his hands on a Foreurs’ defensive turnover, swivels and foils the opposing goalie to finally complete the maneuver and score 11 for Louis Robitaille’s team.

“We’re having success here at home and I think the fans have a lot to do with it. – Louis Robitaille, Head Coach

The Olympiques finished the month of January strong with an 11-6 victory over the Val-d’Or Foreurs. The Olympiques will be back in front of their fans this Wednesday, February 1st in a match-up against the Moncton Wildcats at 7:00 pm.

Three stars

1- Olivier Nadeau (2 goals, 4 assists)
2- Riley Kidney (2 goals, 2 assists)
3- Cam MacDonald (1 goal, 1 assist)

A text by Isaac Larente-Séguin