Sunday, March 6 – Vankleek Hill Cougars 9 Gatineau-Hull Volant 2
The Vankleek Hill Cougars bared their claws in a 9-2 home victory over the Gatineau-Hull Volant on Sunday night (March 5). The series, now tied at two games apiece, will head to a deciding fifth game on Wednesday, March 8, at Gatineau’s Centre Slush Puppie.
Mikael Bissonnette and Josh Desjardins each had two goals and three assists for the Cougars, while Eric Skyba added a goal and three assists. Alexandre Chenier, Thomas Kelly, Landen Sweet and John Mahoney also scored for Vankleek Hill, as the Cougars sent wave after wave of attack on Volant netminder Zachary Major. Frederick Duroucher-Bourdon was solid in net all night for the Cougars to earn the win in goal.
The win came in front of a huge crowd of more than 500 spectators at the Robert Hartley Sports Complex, who came out in force to support their hometown heroes.
“It was massive,” noted Cougars Head Coach Franky Dopelhamer, on the support received by the team. “It got the kids nervous though! We started a bit shaky and a little slow, but slowly we turned it around and took care of business.”
The win was redemption for Friday’s (March 3) game in Gatineau, won by the Volant 5-3 after an empty net goal clinched what had been a tight contest in which the Cougars outplayed their opponent.
“We could have won (Friday’s game),” Dopelhamer commented, of the series third game, where Vankleek Hill outshot Gatineau-Hull 63-30. “We played a good game, but we weren’t getting any bounces.”
“This time, we got the bounces.”
Dopelhamer is optimistic the Cougars can pull out a win in the series’ finale on Wednesday, despite the two teams being equally talented.
“I see us winning and moving on,” the Cougars head coach said. “We just have to make sure the kids are not as nervous on Wednesday and that they’re more relaxed, because it’s a do or die game.”
Boost from returning players
Vankleek Hill will be boosted again on Wednesday by the return of two players who were not available for the first three games of the series. Top scoring forward Alexandre Saul was back on the ice for Sunday’s game against Gatineau-Hull, along with shutdown defenseman Jonathan Paquette.
Both players, who missed multiple games late in the season and the start of the playoffs will be available again on Wednesday night.
“Honestly that was a big boost for us,” said Dopelhamer.
Game time on Wednesday, March 8, at Centre Slush Puppie in Gatineau is 7:30 p.m.
Photo Gallery – Cougars 9 Volant 2 – Sunday, March 5
