The heartbreak of seeing a championship slip away is driving the hunger to succeed in Matthew Pistilli this season.

Pistilli went from an extreme high to an extreme low in a matter of days in May as his Gatineau Olympiques were crowned Québec Major Junior Hockey League champions before a poor showing at the Memorial Cup saw his team be the first eliminated in the annual showcase. It is a memory Pistilli now carries with him as a member of the Shawinigan Cataractes.

"I've heard stories of guys that lose hunger to win after winning a championship but I just want to get back," he said. "Myself and our team, in general, we didn't have a good Memorial Cup and I just want to get back at it and try to have revenge."

It's that hunger that made Pistilli a shoe-in on the revamped and ready-to-contend Cataractes this season. The 2008-09 season has been a few years in planning for Shawinigan who have slowly pieced together a team that should contend while their new rink is set to open in late-December.

With a new rink and a strong team on the ice, Shawinigan made an attempt at hosting this year's Memorial Cup tournament but their bid was beat by the Rimouski Océanic.

As head coach Eric Veilleux said, although disappointing not to be named hosts, the goal is still to be playing for the big prize in May.

"The goal remained the same, it's still to get there because we do have the same hockey team we had when they made the decision," Veilleux said.

The Cataractes haven't waited long to see the results this season. Picked by many to contend for the championship in a Sportsnet.ca poll of head coaches and general managers from the QMJHL during pre-season, Shawinigan has reaped rewards of their new additions.

Pistilli has formed one of the most dangerous lines in the league with fellow overager Cédric Lalonde-McNicoll and 19-year-old Nicholas Petersen. Lalonde-McNicoll and Pistilli both accumulated 10 points last week while the Shawinigan power-play has operated at a stunning 40.7 per cent efficiency rate.

Since the duo of Pistilli and Lalonde-McNicoll have only been playing together a few games, their instant chemistry is somewhat surprising. Pistilli, a natural scorer, and Lalonde-McNicoll, a speedy and gifted playmaker, played together briefly three seasons ago before Pistilli was traded to Gatineau.

"I know it is rare that chemistry gets that fast but it just seems it clicked on right away," Pistilli said.

"They're good players and that's what happens when you combine two good players," said teammate Simon Lacroix. "The best part is they're both very good defensively so when they're on the ice they're alert and they don't allow many chances."

As good as Pistilli has been offensively, one of his most important attributes is his experience and leadership, something Veilleux feels is invaluable. Pistilli has been more than willing to share his experiences with his teammates and said he's looking forward to the opportunity of being a guiding light come playoff time.

"Whenever things don't go well he's one of the guys that steps up and tells the guys not to quit and keep going and I think that's going to be great for our team," Lacroix said. "When he talks, people have to listen because he knows what he's talking about."

Veilleux was also quick to praise Pistilli's ability to perform in pressure situations.

"I think he's a clutch player. You may not see him for two periods but when it comes the time that his team needs a goal he may come out and give the extra effort to go get that goal," said Veilleux. "He seems to have the ability to always get the goal needed."

In addition to leading the league in goals scored, Shawinigan is also one of the top defensive teams. Goaltender Timo Pielmeier, who was acquired in the off-season from the Montreal Juniors, has given the Cataractes another weapon in their pursuit of a championship.

"Everybody certainly knows to go a long way in the playoffs you need a solid goaltender and we felt that Timo would bring that to our hockey club and so far so good," Veilleux said. "I know we feel very comfortable with him as our starter."

"Say we play a bad game on the road," Lacroix continued, "He's the type of goalie that can pull it off all by himself."

As strong as the team is on paper, Lacroix said the team realized talent coupled with hard work can be a dangerous combination for their opposition, a sentiment shared by his teammate.

"We know we have good offence but we have to work hard because if we don't work hard, we won't get the results," Lalonde-McNicoll added. "We have to prepare ourselves for each game the same way and if we all work hard as a team, we'll win more often than we lose."

Should the team continue winning more than they lose, the anxious and hungry Pistilli could get his opportunity to make good on a second chance.

"It would be a dream for me to go back (to the Memorial Cup)," he said. "It would be a great gift for me and my junior career by going back there and trying to win it all."