It looks like Gatineau Coach Benoit Groulx is ready to break his initial strategy, and again pair up his dual speedsters,
Paul Byron and Claude Giroux, for the club's Mem Cup match-up with Belleville on Monday.
Olympiques coach Benoit Groulx, who split up Giroux and speedy centre Paul Byron during Friday's contest, says he will probably put them back together against Belleville. Whatever Groulx decides to do, he expects his front-line players to be better than they were against Kitchener.
"It's not done yet, but chances are pretty high they will be playing together," Groulx said.
"We addressed the situation with (Giroux and Byron). In a tournament like this, they brought us here, we're not going to start to point the finger at them. But we know it, they know it: they have to be our top guys on the ice if we hope to win this, and we're confident that they got their bad game out of their system."
It's hard to imagine why the coach would split up the deadly duo in their game one loss. Entering Kitchener, Byron and Giroux had combined for 83 points in their 19-game QMJHL title run, while three others averaged over a point-per-game.
Byron would end the article with a quote that should please most Sabres fans.
Groulx said Sunday's practice was a good, intense session. Now it's time to face the Bulls.
"They have a strong team and a very good goalie. They have their strengths, we have ours. The most important thing for us (tonight) is to start the game on the right foot."
Byron, who scored one goal against the Rangers but had a plus/minus mark of minus-one, knows he must be one of those strengths.
"If you can't handle the pressure, you shouldn't be here," Byron said.
