SAINT-JEAN, NB | Saint-Jean Sea Dogs forward William Dufour had no intention of being upstaged by Mavrik Bourque and Xavier Bourgault on Saturday. The New York Islanders prospect scored four goals in a 5-3 victory for his side, giving the locals a direct ticket to next Wednesday’s final.
• Read also: Memorial Cup: two unstoppable stars?
The Sea Dogs finish the preliminary round with a record of two wins and an overtime loss, for a total of seven points.
“It’s the best moment of my career right now. I have one junior game left and we will do everything to get it on Wednesday. »
Things didn’t start well for the host team, which saw the Cataractes score three unanswered goals in the first period, seemingly heading for a third win in three games.
But the tide turned and Dufour took matters into his own hands. The big winger first scored two goals in 21 seconds at the start of the second, then completed his natural hat trick before we even reached halfway to tie the game and push the fans together in the TD Station to toss their caps onto the rink. His three goals were scored in the space of 6:36.
MAGIC PERIOD
Completely outplayed in the second, the Cataractes took two penalties in a row for sending the puck into the stands. The second, that of Zachary Massicotte, allowed Jérémie Poirier to give the Sea Dogs the lead for the first time.
Dufour then scored his fourth of the game early in the third period.
“It was a special game for him,” head coach Gardiner MacDougall said of Dufour. He is a player who plays in all situations and as I said before, you have to use your horses, and he is a big one. It was a magical second period for him. »
“Magic” is certainly no exaggeration. In fact, he seemed possessed at times in the game, which he completed with a total of 15 shots on net.
“I want to give it my all, I don’t want to have any regrets at the end and that’s what I did tonight,” added Dufour.
TOO MUCH SPACE
The Quebecer became the first QMJHL player to score four goals in a Memorial Cup game since Christian Dubé and Martin Ménard with the Hull Olympiques in 1997. The all-time record of five still belongs to Bruce Boudreau in 1975.
In the Cataractes camp, head coach Daniel Renaud might only tip his hat to No. 28 of the Sea Dogs.
“He’s possibly one of the best players in the Canadian Hockey League. You can’t give him the time and space we gave him. He was given opportunities to take shots from dangerous places on the ice and he capitalized. He’s too good not to. »
OVERCONFIDENCE
Renaud did not look far elsewhere to explain the complete change of face of his team between the first and the second period.
Noting the indiscipline, among other things, he also admitted that his team had probably preached overconfidence with a three-goal lead following 20 minutes.
“I see a comparison with the President’s Cup final. The first time we had an opportunity to finish once morest Charlottetown, we ate a 7-0 rince. The only thing I remember is that we came out so strong the next game and we went to win that in Charlottetown, in their house. At 3-0, we possibly projected ourselves into the future and we saw each other in the Memorial Cup final. »
AND BREF
In good spirits, Gardiner MacDougall offered an entertaining press briefing on Saturday. He first answered the first question by pointing out the presence of more members of the media than in the previous game, before… forgetting the question that had been asked of him.
Subsequently, his phone started ringing in the middle of the press briefing, while he was in full oratorical flight.
“Sorry, it’s the Winnipeg Jets once more,” he joked.
The Sea Dogs will now have three days off before Wednesday’s final as the Cataractes take on the Hamilton Bulldogs in the semifinals on Monday night.
Shawinigan edged the Bulldogs 3-2 in their preliminary round meeting, game
