QUINTE WEST, Ont. – The St. Louis Division selects from the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League used the strength of five final period tallies to blank Team Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League East 5-0 Monday in Day 1 play at the Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge at Duncan McDonald Memorial Gardens in Trenton.
A tight-checking opening frame in the two-period, 40-minute contest saw the two sides battle through a scoreless session despite seeing the LHJAAAQ squad out shoot NOJHL East by a 13-4 count.
NOJHL East starter Joe Vrbetic (Powassan Voodoos) continued his solid play early in the final stanza, including making a couple of key point blank stops.
However, the club from Quebec would eventually open the scoring six and a half minutes into the frame as Alex Plamondon went in alone on a shorthanded breakaway and made no mistake lifting a backhand over the glove of Vrbetic.
They then came back and added another a couple shifts later as they broke into the NOJHL zone with Daven Castonguary whipping one home from the slot at 8:21.
It was more St. Louis on a delayed penalty as Michael Stegmann was left unmarked in front of Vrbetic and buried his chance when fed the puck at 11:25.
Frederic Theoret then added to the onslaught by wiring one in from the right side before William Duperron finished it as he flew down on a breakaway and put in the final goal of the night with 60 seconds left.
LHJAAAQ goaltender Cedric Lariviere saw limited quality chances against as he made nine stops to post the shutout in picking up the win.
Vrbetic faced 30 attempts against in defeat for NOJHL East.
The East returns to game action Tuesday at 2 p.m. as they take on CCHL Yzerman.
All Eastern Canada Cup All-Star Challenge games are streamed online at HockeyTV.com.
Game photos courtesy Christian Bender – OJHL Images
