With the season now over I wanted to look back at what worked well in Quebec City for the Citadelles. 

With rookies sprinkled throughout the lineup, the QCC vets had a hefty task at hand.  Being counted on to provide stability for the team while contributing up and down the ice. Having to shoehorn so many rookies into the lineup and staying as competitive as possible took some patented Citadelles trickery.  With so many skaters just trying to find their way in the league, including an all rookie goalie room . . . Quebec City turned to an old but potent tactic.

The Matchup Trap.

Putting veterans, Nor Ge and Gwendolyn Telenn on the top line with rookie Duke Howard, the Quebec City brass saved their best for second . . . The Quebec City Citadelles offense ran through the 2nd line of Cristoforo Roccamontepiano, Randolph Thompson-Smythe and Andrea Morandi.  Lets look into their year a little more closely.


Cristoforo Roccamontepiano – Center

Last season number 1 overall pick in the SHL put any who would dare to doubt, securely in the sin bin. Leading Quebec City with 33 goals and 76 points.  Cristoforo played their role perfectly in Quebec city’s matchup trap strategy, centering an offensive powerhouse second line and taking advantage of mismatches.

Adding to an impressive regular season, Roccamontepiano notched 7 points in the Citadelles 6 post season games.  Though the season ended earlier than they would have liked, the hunger to continue to dominate next season is only heating up.


Randolph Thompson-Smythe – Right Wing

Potting one goal less than their team leading linemate and co-leading the team in points, Randolph Thompson-Smythe achieved career highs in all but TWO tracked stats. (Tied career high game winning goals and 3 less shots blocked)

The British speedster was yet another important part of Quebec City’s deadly second line.  Using the “All gas no brakes” strategy of play, Thompson-Smythe kept opponents on their heels with shot after shot on net (and leading the team with 258)

A disappointing showing in the all too short post season run has to have lit a fire under Thompson-Smythe.  Look out for yet another year of career highs in S79!


Andrea Morandi – Left Wing

Yet another stat line, chock full of career highs and a team leading 46 assists. Morandi also brought the pain, with a team leading 195 hits.

Playing the perfect “Joe Thornton power forward playmaker” role, the offense of this explosive second line ran through Andrea. With the top Corsi rating among forwards at 184 (CF% 55%) when Morandi is on the ice, opposition goalies hear alarm bells.

The playoffs . . . you know what, were just gonna stop talking about the playoffs.  This wasn’t our year . . .

So what comes next for the QCC?  An offseason awaits with key departures and a fresh crop of rookies to fill in the gaps left behind.  But all signs seem to point to this line staying together.  Whether they lie in wait on the 2nd line or look to dominate head to head in best on best matchups? Only time will tell!