J.R. Avon celebrates the Petes' second goal against the Quebec Remparts on May 30, 2023. (Photo via Candice Ward/CHL)
The Peterborough Petes have forced a tiebreaker game at the 2023 Memorial Cup with a 4-2 win over the Quebec Remparts Tuesday evening.
The Petes will play the loser of Wednesday’s all-WHL showdown between the Kamloops Blazers and the Seattle Thunderbirds on Thursday night.
The OHL champions, who dropped their first two games of the four-team tournament against Seattle and Kamloops, scored twice in a span of 2:33 midway through the second period to break the deadlock at Sandman Centre.
Tucker Robertson and J.R. Avon got the Petes on the board over the somewhat passive Remparts, who are already guaranteed a berth in Sunday’s championship game.
Stillman to Avon and the @PetesOHLhockey capitalize! https://t.co/t5nJ52cYnN pic.twitter.com/M7lu2OCzxc
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) May 31, 2023
James Malatesta, the QMJHL playoff MVP, cut the lead in half exactly two minutes after Avon’s marker for his fourth goal of the tournament. Malatesta, a Columbus Blue Jackets prospect, leads all skaters in goals at the tournament.
Fourth of the tournament for #CBJ prospect James Malatesta! #MemorialCup
Malatesta capitalise sur une passe de Robidas! #CoupeMemorial pic.twitter.com/0UAeRBqWUV
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 31, 2023
The Petes’ Avery Hayes at 15:07 and the Remparts’ Nathan Gaucher at 15:34 rounded out the scoring in the middle frame as Peterborough took a 3-2 lead into the locker room.
Connor Lockhart, a Vancouver Canucks prospect, scored the only goal of the third at 3:37 to extend the Petes’ lead. The Remparts did manage 14 shots on goal in the final period – the same number they managed in the first two periods – though they were unable to find the tying goals.
#Canucks prospect Connor Lockhart gets credit and @PetesOHLhockey lead 4-2! #MemorialCup pic.twitter.com/N7UjVs71ba
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 31, 2023
Remparts’ netminder William Rousseau was replaced early in the third period by Quentin Miller. He allowed four goals on 29 shots to take the loss, while Miller was a perfect seven for seven in 13:47 of relief work.
Michael Simpson, the OHL playoff MVP turned aside 26 of 28 shots for his first win of the tournament.
Brian Zanetti had a pair of assists for Peterborough, while Robertson had an assist to go with his goal.
Wednesday’s game between the Blazers and Thunderbirds will wrap up the round-robin portion of the tournament. It is a 6 p.m. puck drop, with pre-game coverage on RadioNL getting underway at 5 p.m. with Jon Keen.
Thursday’s tie-breaker game is also scheduled to get underway at 6 p.m., with the pre-game start to be determined based on the outcome of Wednesday’s game.
You can find a schedule of events and more of RadioNL’s coverage of the Memorial Cup here.
