Saguenéens Chicoutimi fall in tense Game 1 as Huskies grab first win
saguenéens chicoutimi opened the semifinal Friday night in Chicoutimi under heavy noise, a packed crowd, and a fast-changing script that ended with the visitors holding the first win in the series. The game stayed tight until the final minute, when Alexis Lemire made the defining stop and the Huskies sealed a 1-0 lead. The series resumes Saturday night at the same arena on Bégin Street.
Late play swings the opener
The most important moment came in the final minute of the third period. Alexis Lemire blocked a close-range chance from Nathan Lecompte while goaltender Samuel Meloche was out of position, and that defensive stop effectively decided the night for the Huskies. Axel Dufresne then closed the game with an empty-net goal.
The opening period had already shown how thin the margins were. Nathan Lecompte had a prime early chance for the home team, but his one-timer off a pass from Émile Guité missed. The visitors then punished a turnover when Benjamin Brunelle took the puck from Alex Huang at the blue line, skated in alone, and beat Lucas Beckman with a sharp deke.
For the Saguenéens Chicoutimi, that first goal mattered again. It marked a fourth straight home playoff game in which the Chicoutimi side gave up the first goal, a pattern that framed the pressure throughout the evening. The home team generated chances, including a sequence in which Emmanuel Vermette came close after the blocked shot late in regulation, but 27 shots did not change the result.
Reaction inside the dressing rooms
Steve Hartley, head coach of the Huskies, pointed to the late defensive commitment that protected the lead. “I think we blocked two shots in extremis when there was an open net, ” Hartley said. “That’s our team, it’s character and work ethic. Our family spirit means the guys want to win for one another. We keep going tomorrow [Saturday]. ”
On the other side, captain Alexis Bernier kept the tone measured after the loss. He said the team made mistakes, added that improvement has come from period to period, and stressed that the group needs only small adjustments. Yanick Jean, head coach of the Saguenéens Chicoutimi, said the team must be solid in front of the net and ready to recover rebounds, while giving credit to the opponent for controlling important parts of the game.
Saguenéens Chicoutimi search for a cleaner start
The first game fit a larger pattern from the night: the crowd was loud, more than 4, 500 people were packed in, and the energy dropped after the two goals against. The atmosphere around the arena and in the city had already been building around the semifinal opener, and this result only sharpened the stakes for Game 2.
What stands out now is not panic but pace. The Saguenéens Chicoutimi need a better opening stretch, more presence at the net, and a response that matches the urgency of a series that has already turned once. With the Huskies now up 1-0, Saturday night becomes the first real test of how quickly Chicoutimi can reset and push back.
The next shift matters because the series is still young, and the first game showed how quickly momentum can change in playoff hockey. If the Saguenéens Chicoutimi can tighten the details in front of Beckman and turn a few chances into early pressure, the series can move back toward even ground when the teams meet again Saturday night in Chicoutimi.
