Monday, May 11, 2009

Shawinigan forces Game 7

Press Release
SHAWINIGAN, Sunday, May 10, 2009 – Nicholas Petersen scored with just under one minute left in overtime, lifting 5,125 frenzied fans assembled at the Bionest Centre out of their seats, to force the presentation of a deciding seventh game.

The Cataractes completely dominated play in the first twenty minutes, outshooting the Voltigeurs 13-2. Only the brilliance of goaltender Marco Cousineau, who made several spectacular saves on shots from the slot, enabled the Voltigeurs to retreat to their dressing room unscathed.

In the second period, Shawinigan once again came out firing on all cylinders, but Yannick Riendeau silenced the home crowd by burying the game’s first goal at 12:45 - his 16th power-play goal of the playoffs - tying the League record set by Mathieu Melanson of the Quebec Remparts in the spring of 2006.

In the final minute of the second frame, each team enjoyed a premier scoring chance but failed to capitalize as goaltenders Gabriel Girard and Marco Cousineau came up with huge saves to keep the score at 1-0.

The Cataractes’ Girard was the story in the third period, shutting the door on a high number of quality scoring chances. His teammates rewarded his stellar play as Cédric Lalonde-McNicoll tied it up at one with a power-play marker at 14:51 to force overtime.

Finally, with 41 seconds remaining, Petersen brought the house down with his 10th goal of the playoffs to secure the 2-1 victory.

Game seven will be presented at the Marcel-Dionne Centre at 7 pm. The winner will head to Rimouski to join the Océanic, the Kelowna Rockets and the Windsor Spitfires starting at the 2009 MasterCard Memorial Cup.


(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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