The Vankleek Hill Cougars lost the two first games of the NCJHL finals series to the Gatineau Hull-Volant.
It was a difficult start to the series for the Cougars as they travelled to Centre Slush Puppie in Gatineau on Friday, March 22. Maxime Dion put Gatineau ahead after four minutes of play in the first period.
Things fell apart for the Cougars in the second period as Gatineau scored four back-to-back goals, two by Lois Flansberry, one by Samuel Emery and one by Mavrik Amesse.
Connor Stewart scored the only Cougars goal in the early third period, but Gatineau’s Tyler Lafleur topped off the home team’s scoresheet to make the final score 6-1.
Double Overtime
The Cougars fought back on Saturday, March 23, as they hosted Gatineau in Vankleek Hill. Zachary Bigras put the home team ahead after just over a minute of play, but Gatineau pushed back two minutes later with a goal by Shayne Lafleur. Emery gave Gatineau the lead before the end of the the first period.
Gatineau kept pushing in the early second period as Julien Arruda scored the visiting team’s third goal. Just as the game seemed to be slipping out of the Cougars’ hands, Bigras scored his second of the game with nine minutes left to the second period. Jeremy Marcotte tied the game up for the Cougars just two minutes later.
Ten minutes into the third period, Malcolm Séguin put the cougars ahead for the first time of the series. The Cougars failed to hold on to the lead as Dion scored Gatineau’s fourth goal to send the game into overtime with four minutes left to play.
Scoreless after the first overtime period, the teams had to go into a second overtime period, giving Flansberry the chance to score the game-winning goal for Gatineau.
The third game of the series is set for Friday, March 29, sending the Cougars back to Gatineau for a 7:30 p.m. matchup. Game four is scheduled for the following Sunday, March 31, in Vankleek Hill at 3:30 p.m.
