By DAVE CARTER of The Gazette
Les Caribous de Quebec hold a 1-0 lead in the finals of the Nations Cup series after defeating Les Quebecois 12-11 in overtime last night, and after their sloppy showing it’s hard to imagine how they made it into the National Lacrosse League playoffs.
Not that Les Quebecois were any better, because if there were an offside rule, Montreal would have walked away laughing.
Les Caribous didn’t show any offence until the overtime period. They would pick up Les Quebecois’ rebounds, loose balls and anything else up for garbs and romp in on breakaways and score on Keith Todman.
Todman came in from Maryland yesterday morning after regulars Ernie Mitchell and Dave Evans were declared medically unfit. They were both injured in the semi-final series against the Boston Bolts.
The Forum crowd of 6.086 witnessed the worst playoff game of the season until the overtime. “We lost it in two areas.” said Les Quebecois’ coach and general manager Jim Bishop. “We weren’t reacting on defence and we took too many selfish shots.”
The teams went into the 18-minute overtime period tied at 9-9 and two goals within six seconds — first by Bruce Murdock and then by Terry Sanderson — pulled out the victory for Les Caribous.
“They didn’t show as much as Boston,” Bishop continued. “We’re in the same predicament as we were in against Boston. We lost one of the two we played here and we came back.”
The victory was the first for Quebec in the Forum in two seasons. Last season, the Syracuse Stingers failed in eight tries and this season, after the franchise shifted from Syracuse to Quebec City, Les Caribous lost all five.
“We were very sloppy, we didn’t run and our passing was atrocious.” said Les Quebecois captain John Davis. “They got their goals off our mistakes- The only good thing about the game -was Keith Todman came up with a good job.”
TOUGH SITUATION
It was a tough situation for Todman who said he hadn’t picked up a stick in a month and hadn’t played in two months.
“I was terrified when I was first asked.” said Todman, who Bishop specifically picked up as a replacement. “I’ve never won a championship and I didn’t want to let Ernie (Mitchell), Dave (Evans) and the other guys down.”
Said Bishop: “He played really well. They getting a lot of goals on him because our offence would make mistakes and not get back to cover up.”
The only bright spots on the Quebec team were Murdock, who came through in the overtime period with two goals, Dave Durante. Les Caribous’ first draft choice who did not stop running the entire game, and goaltender Larry Smeltzer, who stopped 48 Les Quebecois shots. Pat Differ also starred by scoring three goals along with Murdock and Durante.
“I don’t think they’re as good as Boston.” said Ross Jones who had a tough time doing anything right offensively. “I don’t know what it is but I’m not getting into position like I used to. My defence isn’t bad but I’ve got to get out of my offensive slump.”
With 34 seconds remaining in regulation time. Ronnie Pinder tied it for Les Quebecois. The rookie, who scored big goals in last night’s game and the seventh game of the semi-final series, came up in clutch fashion picking up a loose ball and going in all alone on Smetzer.
RAN OUT CLOCK
Quebec held a 12-10 advantage in the overtime before Pinder put Les Quebecois within one. But after several chances in the last minute and with Todman out ,Montreal failed to keep control and Les Caribous ran out the clock. “I was glad to see the first one go in.” Pinder said. “It was the first time I’ve seen Quebec and Smeltzer. I shot low on both goals but I think he’s easier to beat high. He always goes for the low fake.”
There were two fights in which Jim Bishop felt Les Quebecois came out with the upper hand.
BATTLERS
Former teammates Dave Litzenberger and Gord Osinchuk. who was traded to Quebec during the season, squared off in the first period. Caribous’ Jim Miller was no match for John Sheffield in the second altercation.
Litzenberger landed a solid right hand and then tried to wrestle with the former Quebecois policeman. Osinchuk landed a few uppercuts when Litzenberger tried to wrestle.
Dave then shoved Osinchuk against the glass and the referees seperated the two. “He’s been looking for it for a long time, and he found me.” Litzenberger said- “But tell him he CAN fight.”
Bishop meanwhile was very pleased. “We took on both their tough guys.” he said. “And everyone says we aren’t physical.”
Dave Tasker led Quebecois scorers with three goals while Ronnie Pinder added two. Litzenberger. Davis. Serge Loiselle. Bruce Arena. Gord Floyd and Gerry Pinder completed the scoring for the losers.
Murdock. Differ and Durante each scored three times for the winners while Jim Higgs and Travis Cook added the others.
The teams go at it again in the second game, Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Forum.
