Les Grands Ducs de Delta staged a dramatic finish in the pee-wee CC category. Michel Groleau’s team experience a heating breaking finish of 4 to 3 in overtime against Gaspésie-Les Îles, in a great final. The Laval-native team had to be left satisfied with the silver medal. « Our speed enabled us to get to the finals. I am proud of my guys. It’s as if we won, » said coach Michel Groleau. To reach the final, Les Grands Ducs were victorious against the Panthers of the Côte Nord 3 to 1. Maxime Landry and Xavier Leblanc scored in the third period allowing Les Grand Ducs to get to the semi-final. The Laval residents had a difficult start to the tournament with defeats again the – Panthers of the Côte Nord 8-4 and against ‘ Express de Saint-Félicien 4-1. Moving forward, there was no room for error. Their but game was a 6 to 1 against the Orioles de Jonquière.
Silver for bantam AA
Les Patriotes of Laval headed by coach Dominic Ravenda failed in their attempt to gain the Dodge Cup by losing the final game 4 to 1 against the Éclaireurs de Richelieu, in the final match for the bantam AA category.
With a hat trick Alexandre Lemieux set the tone of the game by scoring a fast goal at 36 seconds into the first period. The only goal scored by the silver medal winners was that of Michael Cucinotta in the second period. « They scored a fast goal. We played catch-up, » said Dominic Ravenda. « We achieved our goal – to be part of the two last teams to play, » he added. Ravenda’s team experienced setbacks by losing 4 to 3 against the Castors from Sherbrooke and 4 to 1 against the Gouverneurs de la Rive-Nord at the beginning of the tournament. Up against a well, the Patriotes rebounded in the semi-final with victories of 5 to 1 against the Espoirs du Lac Saint-Jean, 4 to 3 against the Casotrs of Sherbrooke and 5 to 0 against the Cobras of Verdun-LaSalle. The Patriotes snapped up the honors in regional Championships facing the Sénateurs de Laval, in the Granby Tournament and in the eliminatory series. « The guys exceeded themselves. We played six finals during the last season. We won three of them, » he said proudly. The season of the Patriots is not finished yet. They will represent Laval along with the Sénateurs during a tournament in Quebec from May 1st to 4th in collaboration with the festivities surrounding the Hockey World Championships and the 400th anniversary of Quebec city.
PHOTOGRAPH 256 (Photograph: Martin Alarie)
