Ahead of the third round of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs, Jonathan Briggins breaks down the two series and the four teams that remain.
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Rimouski Océanic (1) vs. Val-d’Or Foreurs (6)
After a Game 1 scare, the Rimouski Océanic efficiently won four-straight games to knock off the dark horse fourteenth-place Gatineau Olympiques in five games. Heading into the third round of the QMJHL playoffs, Rimouski is well rested after only playing nine games. Their opponent, the Val-d’Or Foreurs, are still in the post-season after clawing their way out of a three-game hole against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The Foreurs won three in a row to force Game 7 where they scored two third-period goals to force overtime. A goal by Colorado Avalanche prospect Alexis Pépin would help them advance. Val-d’Or is only the fifth team in Q history to win a series after being down 3-0.
The Foruers currently lead the playoffs with 53 goals scored, including at least four goals in each win during their second-round comeback. They have a balanced attack, with six players scoring five or more goals, led by Anthony Richard, who has nine. The defending Q champions are finding the back of the net with ease despite not having their five top playoff scorers from last season, including Detroit Red Wings prospect Anthony Mantha. Rookie goaltender Etienne Montpetit has started every game after splitting time with Keven Bouchard in the regular season. This marks the second year in a row that Bouchard has been relegated to backup duties in the post-season after Antoine Bibeau stole the show last year.
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Val-d’Or’s high-octane offence will face a challenge with the Océanic’s towering defence. Through two series, they’ve only allowed 15 goals, the fewest of any team. In the their series against the Olympiques, Rimouski only allowed six goals. Both goaltenders, Dallas Stars prospect Philippe Desrosiers and trade-period acquisition Louis-Philip Guindon, have started five games each. Guindon had a 26-save shutout in Game 4, the second of back-to-back games, then closed out the series in Game 5, which earned him the CHL goaltender of the week. Expect both goaltenders to see time against Val-d’Or.
In his third trip to the playoffs with Rimouski, Winnipeg Jets fourth-round draft pick Jan Kostalek has taken his game to a new level. The six-foot-one, 196-pound defenceman was scoreless the last two post-seasons but has four this year as he sees time on the power play. Fourth year veteran Christopher Clapperton, brought in from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the off-season, leads the Océanic with nine goals and six assists. The Florida Panthers 2013 fifth-round pick has now appeared in over 50 playoff games.
While the Foreurs are an experienced group with lots of scoring depth, expect them to be contained by a balanced Rimouski Océanic lineup that can score, play punishing defence and has two solid goaltenders.
Prediction: Rimouski in six
Moncton Wildcats (2) vs. Québec Remparts (4)
The Québec Remparts left the first round with more questions than answers after narrowly edging out the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in seven games. In the second round, they quickly disposed of the Charlottetown Islanders after a four-game sweep. Zach Fucale was exceptional between the pipes, turning away 118 of the 127 shots he faced, highlighted by a 32-save effort in Game 2. Anthony Duclair picked up points in three games after only scoring only two in the first round.
The Remparts will face the second-place Moncton Wildcats, a team coming off a seven-game series with the 12th-place Halifax Mooseheads. The Wildcats stumbled out of the gate against Halifax, losing the first two home games and allowing plenty of goals. After winning three in a row, they once again allowed a barrage of goals in a 7-5 loss. In total, the series featured 62 goals.
Regular season scoring leader Conor Garland was relatively quiet in the first four games with four assists. However, he exploded in Game 5 with six assists, then had another five assists in Game 7. Halifax had trouble containing Garland despite targeting him physically. His linemate Ivan Barbashev finished the series with nine goals. The St. Louis Blues prospect was named the CHL player of the week, thanks in part to a four goal and two assist effort in Game 5.
Goaltending is an area of concern as the Wildcats square off against the Remparts. Overager Alex Dubeau allowed five goals or more in the three losses and has a .895 save percentage and 3.28 goals-against average in the playoffs. He was particularly shaky in Game 5, allowing five goals in 21:41. He’ll need to be more consistent as the Wildcats take on a Québec team loaded with guys who can score.
Vladimir Tkachev was traded to the Remparts from Moncton before the trade period in exchange for Taylor Burke. The small and offensively skilled Tkachev has three goals and six assists in the playoffs, but went pointless in his last three games against Charlottetown. While playing for the Wildcats last year, Tkachev had seven goals in six games. Burke is now the captain in Moncton and provides secondary scoring for the ‘Cats including the overtime winner in Game 4. Both Tkachev and Burke will be key players to watch as they square off against their former teams.
Remparts power forward Adam Erne is having the best playoffs of his Q career, scoring 11 goals in 11 games, including the overtime winner in Game 2 against Charlottetown. His previous best was five goals in 11 games in 2013. The Tampa Bay Lightning second-rounder plays a physical style that will present a challenge for the Wildcats, similar to the Moosehead’s Timo Meier who had five goals against Moncton.
Playing disciplined hockey will be important as both teams have struggled with the penalty kill. Québec is 13th at 76.6 per cent while Moncton is 14th at 67.4 per cent. Moncton’s power play has been dangerous as they’ve gone 15-for-60 (25 per cent) with the man advantage.
The series will feature two teams that are offence first, defence second. Goaltending could prove to be the tipping point in this series with a slight advantage going to 2013 Memorial Cup winner Zach Fucale for Québec. The Memorial Cup host Remparts seem to finally be rounding into shape and are motivated to make it into the tournament by winning, not just as automatic host entrants.
Prediction: Québec in seven