The Sherbrooke Phoenix will play in their 40th game of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) regular season on Tuesday when they take on the Gatineau Olympiques — a team sitting just one point ahead of them in the overall standings.
After going on a three-game losing skid in mid-February with losses to Cape Breton, Rimouski and Shawinigan, the Phoenix have since erupted for 28 goals and a four-game win streak. According to Sherbrooke head coach Stephane Julien, losing can help in the long run.
“It’s up and down and sometimes, as a coach, you want to win all the time, but on the other hand, when you’re losing a couple of games it gives you the opportunity to settle yourself a little bit and get back to the good habits that brought you to the top of the league,” he said.
The Phoenix currently sit in fifth place, but they have played less games than several teams ahead of them in the standings. However, it’s a long road to the playoffs. There are 19 games left, Julien told The Record, and Sherbrooke will face stiff competition in the coming weeks.
