2022 esso cup remparts du richelieu 960

Road to the 2022 Esso Cup: Remparts du Richelieu

The Quebec Region champions never stopped believing they would finally beat their biggest rivals to book a ticket to Okotoks

Eric Lavoie
|
May 8, 2022
|

Good things come to those who wait.

That motto reflects the season the Remparts du Richelieu have had. After two losses to their fiercest rivals, the As de Québec – who were the Quebec representatives at the 2019 Esso Cup – the Remparts had to settle for a pair of ties in their final two meetings.

Owners of the second-best record in the Female U18 AAA division of the Ligue de hockey d’excellence du Québec (LHEQ), six points behind the As, the Remparts came to the Coupe Dodge, Hockey Quebec’s provincial championship, with a 0-2-2 record against the As and in the midst of a late-season slump.

“We came to this tournament while we were in a tough moment of our season,” head coach Maude Russell explains. “We lost two of our last three games that, quite honestly, we shouldn’t have lost.”

Richelieu arrived in Drummondville determined to get back to basics and focus on what had made it successful throughout the season. It downed Sherbrooke (3-2), Laval-Montréal (2-0), Mauricie-CDQ (3-1) and Lac St-Louis (2-1) to earn a place in the championship game – against the As.

The tournament finale was an emotional game. After a scoreless three periods and no goals in overtime, the two teams went to a shootout to determine who would head west to Okotoks.

“I think I had five heart attacks and [shortened] my life by 10 years during that game,” laughs Russell, who had a front-row seat to the epic duel.

“The game was played mostly on the perimeter and scoring chances were kept very low.”

After a goal by Daphnée Gagnon and two saves by Lori-Ève Gendron, Ann-Sophie Bertrand scored to confirm the Remparts’ first victory of the year over the As and punch their ticket to the national championship.

Winning the provincial title was a welcome relief after a year full of hurdles.

The patience of the Remparts’ players was sorely tested, including a long break from from mid-December until early February caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the inability to get on the ice for practices and games, the players thought their season would never resume.

Despite the absence of light at the end of the tunnel, they found ways to keep their team spirit high.

“Rosalie Couture has been a great team builder, motivating others to get out on the [ski] slopes and do team activities,” says Russell. “Marie-Jeanne Gagné also invited girls to her outdoor rink.”

What can fans expect when they watch Remparts at Canada’s National Women’s U18 Club Championship?

“We have an outstanding offence,” says Russell, who has had the chance to coach the league’s two best scorers, forwards Éloïse Caron (46 points in 26 GP) and Doryane Hallé (37 points in 25 G).

“The team also has a goalie tandem (Gendron and Alicia Choinière) that has always played together throughout the years and this season, both have had sub-2.00 goals-against averages,” adds Sina Bourbeau, the integrated director of the Remparts.

“We’re really looking forward to the Esso Cup,” Russell says. “We’re very proud to have seen this group of girls come together and achieve this result. We are getting ready for a lot of adversity and tough games against the best teams in the country.”

HOW THEY GOT TO OKOTOKS

Coupe Dodge
Preliminary round: defeated Harfangs de Sherbrooke 3-2 , defeated Amazones de Laval-Montréal 2-0
Quarterfinal: defeated Stars 55 de Mauricie-CDQ 3-1
Semifinal: defeated Warriors du Lac St-Louis 2-1
Final: defeated As de Quebec 1-0 (SO)

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-T): 20-6-2 (2nd in LHEQ)
Goals for: 106 (2nd in LHEQ)
Goals against: 50 (3rd in LHEQ)
Longest winning streak: 5 (Oct. 24-Nov. 14, March 19-30)
Top 3 scorers:
- Éloïse Caron – 31G 15A 46P (1st in LHEQ)
- Doryane Hallé – 18G 19A 37P (2nd in LHEQ)
- Marie-Jeanne Gagné – 16G 10A 26P (6th in LHEQ)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 5-0
Goals for: 10
Goals against: 4
Top 3 scorers:
- Marie-Jeanne Gagné – 0G 6A 6P
- Ann-Sophie Bertrand – 4G 0A 4P
- Éloïse Caron – 3G 1A 4P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

2010 – Remparts du Richelieu | sixth place | 1-4 | 10GF 19GA
2016 – Express du Richelieu | silver medal | 4-3 | 22GF 27GA

PLAYERS TO WATCH

ANN-SOPHIE BERTRAND
physical two-way forward… steps up in big moments

ÉLOÏSE CARON
great shot… natural scorer… good vision

LORI-ÈVE GENDRON
very technical goaltender… calm and in control between the pipes… give up few rebounds… gamer

COLLEGE COMMITMENTS

Ann-Sophie Bertrand – Champlain College
Éloïse Caron – Cégep de Limoilou
Rosalie Couture – Cégep Édouard-Montpetit
Élizabeth D’Aigle – Cégep Édouard-Montpetit
Daphnée Gagnon – John Abbott College
Lori-Ève Gendron – Cégep Édouard-Montpetit
Jessika Grove – Cégep André-Laurendeau
Doryane Hallé – Cégep André-Laurendeau
Marie-Catherine Mondou – Cégep Édouard-Montpetit
Juliana Vieira Pirollo – John Abbott College

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

emadziya@hockeycanada.ca 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

ssharkey@hockeycanada.ca

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

jknight@hockeycanada.ca

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