QMJHL looks to bounce back

Home ice was not so nice for Team Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in the Subway Super Series.

Despite an onslaught of shots - 42 in total - the QMJHL all-stars couldn't beat Russian goaltender Sergey Kostenko, who posted the shutout in the 2-0 win for Team Russia.

The victory marks three consecutive wins over the Q for the Russians, after they won both games in last year's leg.

"We want to beat them obviously because last year we lost both games against them," Team QMJHL defenceman Morgan Ellis said. "The boys are going to be ready to do what it takes to win."

TV note - Team QMJHL will try to get even with the Russians tonight on Rogers Sportsnet in High Definition starting at 7 p.m. ET.

It was a frustrating game for the home side. When they weren't being robbed by Kostenko, they were chasing Russians that kept sneaking behind them for breakaways.

Even then, it could have just as easily been a win for Team QMJHL, had they been able to convert on some of their many chances.

"The score didn't really reflect how we played," explained Zach O'Brien. "We had a lot of chances."

Will Team QMJHL's adjustments create goals?

One of the main reasons the QMJHL couldn't produce in Game 1 was due to a lack of net presence. Although they were getting a lot of their shots through, second-chance opportunities were few and far between.

The Russians did an excellent job allowing Kostenko to see the puck and preventing the QMJHL's forwards from tracking down rebounds. It made for an easy night and one the Q doesn't want to occur again.

"We weren't desperate enough in front of their net," explained Yanick Jean, the head coach in Game 1 who will be Patrick Roy's assistant on Wednesday. "We need to show more determination there. Don't get pushed out, don't get boxed out. Play in the middle, put more traffic and keep it there."

"The rebounds were there," O'Brien said. "I think we just have to be hungrier for the loose pucks in front and bear down on our chances."

One adjustment the coaching staff did make was to take advantage of open ice in the high slot. Many of the QMJHL forwards or defencemen were pinching in the high slot and on many occasions, had a clear lane to let a shot off. Many of those plays created chances, but didn't produce a goal.

"It's just getting in the open spots and trying to get some opportunities and some shots on net," Ellis said. "At the end of the game we were finding them, it's just unfortunate we couldn't bury."

Can the QMJHL eliminate the stretch pass?

They knew it was coming, and yet they couldn't slow it down. The Russians continually looked for the stretch pass, sending a forward behind the QMJHL defence and it often worked.

Nikita Kucherov, for instance, had two breakaways in the first period alone. Although he didn't score on either play, the QMJHL defence needs to be more mindful of keeping the play in front of them.

"It was part of the game-plan," Jean said. "We have to make sure that defencemen stays back, keep five guys in front at all times."

"I figured they'd be trying it, but not as much as they did," Ellis added. "Every chance they had they were swinging a forward back and basically just firing it up the ice hoping they would get it.

Obviously it worked out quite a bit for them (on Monday). That's something we'll be prepared for (on Wednesday), watch their weak side winger stretching."

They'll need to. If they don't, Kucherov and his teammates won't miss every time.

Will the QMJHL avoid costly mental lapses?

As we've grown accustomed to seeing from a team of Russians, any mistakes made by the Canadians can lead to a goal against. This group is no different, and looked to capitalize on any mistake made by the QMJHL.

In Game 1, Ellis went to finish a check on Pavel Medvedev behind his net. The Russians then spotted Bogdan Potekhin jumping up from the far point and fed him the pass for the wide open shot and second goal of the game.

"It was just a misread by me, my fault," Ellis explained. "I tried to go for the hit and separate the puck and stuff, but unfortunately it didn't work out and it ended up in the back of the net."

"The less mistakes we do and the less chances we give them the better because they have skilled guys. They can score some goals so we have to be careful."

Can Team QMJHL take a page from the OHL's book?

Jean noticed in last year's competition how effectively the OHL pressured and created chances with a strong forecheck. While Team QMJHL tried putting it in their game on Monday, they're hoping for better results in Game 2.

"When you hit anyone they get off their games so we have to come physical (in Game 2) and be prepared to sacrifice our bodies and do what it takes to win," Ellis said. "There's certain guys you have to be tough on. You have to pick your spots."