The authors of the "Lance et Compte" series, Fabienne Larouche and Rejean Tremblay wanted to write a parallel hockey story, this time involving a star goalie who goes into personnal problems which affects his professionnal life around him...
Romain Gabriel (Patrice L'Ecuyer) is the best ice hockey goaltender in the Continental Hockey League. Playing for the Montreal Patriotes, he is indeed respected and the charisma of a leader. After being granted quite a paying contract, his life suddenly turns sour when he suspects his wife (Celine Bonnier) to have an affair with one of his teammates, Vincent Gervais (Bobby Beshro). Soon the media asks the question whether Gabriel will leave his wife and be traded or let his nemesis Gervais get the same treatment, up to do a big scene in front of many fans during a hockey game at the Montreal Arena (hockey scenes were not shot in Montreal, but in the Quebec City Colisée, with the Montreal Olympic Stadium Rotunda passing as the Arena's lobby...). However, an injury and a sudden reconciliation will bring him back in track for the championship playoffs against the Boston team...
As Rejean Tremblay is a sports journalist, he indeed based his story on some actual events that he witnessed while covering the NHL. When I saw it the first time, I found it okay, but at second viewing, it was indeed boring, tedious and too much of a clone of the "Lance et Compte" series which he wrote (and did also the Nouvelle Generation). The acting's OK, hockey scenes are not bad, especially that this time, they didn't mix it with actual NHL games. The Patriots'jersey is a replica of the New York Rangers...
Watch it if you are really into hockey, otherwise, stick to Lance et Compte...
