What we witnessed between the 8th of October and the 14th of November can only be described as one of the most remarkable runs in SMJHL history. After a disappointing start of the season with two losses, the Quebec City Citadelles went on to win 19 of their following 20 games , scoring a 122 goals (more than 6 per game on average) in the process.

What adds to this feat is that the expectations were actually much lower at the start of the season. The team had added five rookies, including three defensemen, during the offseason, and was expecting more of a mid-table finish if most aspects would go according to plan. And after the first two games with back to back 7-4 losses, things looked somewhat grim. But boosted by GM's and coaches that kept on believing in them and a can-do attitude, they completed the first part of this run with 6 wins in a row on the back of some strong goaltending, only allowing 12 goals in those games. The lines started to gel as well with the rookies already playing big minutes.

On the 21st of October the Main Timber threw a wrench in the works, though, beating them 4-2 in Maine. They were also outshot for only the second time at that point of the season. But as luck would have it, their first game afterwards saw them play the same team that allowed them to go on that first part of the run - the St. Louis Scarecrows. That game ended in a 5-2 win and was followed by 12 more wins, including two games where they managed to score in the double digits (12-2 & 11-3).

Significant credit also needs to be given to the coaching staff. Line chemistry and individual performances improved, and they managed to figure out opponents early on. Apart from that Maine loss and a single game (12-2) against the Whalers, they played four teams three times and three teams twice:
St. Louis 2-0 (11-5)
Nevada 2-0 (10-4)
Great Falls 3-0 (19-6)
Yukon 3-0 (20-9)
Thunder Bay 3-0 (22-5)
Newfoundland 3-0 (15-10)
Kelowna 2-0 (11-6)

In terms of individual achievements, 6 players managed to record more than a point per game on average, 4 players score more than 10 goals and ten (!) players recorded more than 10 assists. This was also the start of an amazing season for the line of Andrea Morandi, Cristoforo Roccamontepiano and Randolph Thompson-Smythe. Roccamontepiano alone contributed 49 points in that 20 game stretch and this forward line altogether scored a whopping 48 goals and recorded 74 assists. The aforementioned five rookies also contributed 18 goals and 51 assists.

Stats:
Morandi (7+27)
Dionicio (7+8)
Bindewald (2+11)
Holl (0+12)
Roccamontepiano (23+26)
McFisherman (9+13)
Rainbow (5+8)
Thompson-Smythe (18+21)
Tarasov (2+5)
Ge (9+8)
Santiago (4+12)
Peter (6+12)
Howard (15+19)
Kaptina (11+13)
Hestnes (4+9)

The run would end eventually on the 17th of November when they were beaten at San Diego. It managed to be the foundation of a great season, though, that exceeded all expectations and it helped them finish with the best record of all SMJHL teams.

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[S80] #9 Uwe Bindewald - LD |  Quebec City Citadelles
Season GP G  A   PTS +/- PIM S     ATOI   BLK HIT
79         66   6  25  31   40  39   120  21:25  62  127


 

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