CHICOUTIMI, Que. — The 16th and final playoff seed in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey league will be decided on the final day of the regular season.
Vladislav Kotkov scored twice as the Chicoutimi Sagueneens beat Shawinigan 5-3 on Friday, forcing the Cataractes to win their final game just to have a chance to get into the post-season.
Shawinigan (14-49-4) appeared in fine form to clinch the last playoff seed in the 18-team league weeks ago, but has gone on a 14-game losing streak. The Cataractes now find themselves tied with the Saint John Sea Dogs (13-48-6) with 32 points, with both teams having one regular-season game to go.
Shawinigan will need a win on Saturday against the Victoriaville Tigers and a Saint John loss against the Moncton Wildcats with the Sea Dogs holding the tiebreaker.
Tristan Pelletier, Artemi Kniazev and Theo Rochette also scored for the Sagueneens (38-22-7), who got 29 saves from Alexis Shank.
Leon Denny had a pair of goals and Mavrik Bourque also scored for the Cataractes (14-49-4). Justin Blanchette turned aside 18 shots in defeat.
The defending Memorial Cup champion Acadie-Bathurst Titan (8-53-6) are guaranteed to be one of the two teams to miss the post-season.
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MOOSEHEADS 5 SEA DOGS 4 (SO)
HALIFAX — Saint John forward Brady Burns scored the tying goal at 17:46 of the third to get the Sea Dogs one point in a shootout loss to the Mooseheads, keeping their season alive with one regular-season game to go.
Samuel Asselin scored in the shootout for Halifax. Arnaud Durandeau had a pair of goals while Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Keith Getson also scored for the Mooseheads (49-15-3). Cole McLaren made 23 saves for the win.
Benjamin Gagne, William Poirier and Nicholas Deakin-Poot also had goals for the Sea Dogs (13-48-6). Zachary Bouthillier turned away 45 shots in defeat.
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SCREAMING EAGLES 5 TITAN 1
BATHURST, N.B. — Shaun Miller had a goal and two helpers as Cape Breton downed Acadie-Bathurst.
Wilson Forest, Isiah Campbell, Nathan Larose and Mathias Laferriere also scored for the Screaming Eagles (39-22-6), who got 16 saves from Kevin Mandolese.
Cole Rafuse found the back of the net for the Titan (8-53-6). Backup Tyriq Outen kicked out 27 shots in the loss.
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WILDCATS 3 ISLANDERS 2
CHARLOTTETOWN — Jeremy McKenna and Alexander Khovanov each had a goal and an assist to lift Moncton over the Islanders.
Francis Leclerc turned away 33 shots and Elliot Desnoyers also scored for the Wildcats (37-21-9).
Brendon Clavelle and Cole Edwards replied for Charlottetown (39-21-7). Matthew Welsh made 21 saves in a losing cause.
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VOLTIGEURS 4 REMPARTS 1
QUEBEC CITY, Que. — Maxime Comtois had three goals and set up one more as Drummondville toppled the Remparts.
Nicolas Guay also scored for the Voltigeurs (51-13-3). Anthony Morrone turned aside 24 shots for the victory.
Edouard St-Laurent supplied the offence for Quebec (27-27-13). Carmine-Anthony Pagliarulo made 32 saves in defeat.
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PHOENIX 2 TIGRES 0
VICTORIAVILLE, Que. — Dakota Lund-Cornish stopped all 29 shots he faced as Sherbrooke blanked the Tigres.
Patrick Guay and Felix Robert scored for the Phoenix (36-26-5).
Tristan Cote-Cazenave turned aside 30 shots for Victoriaville (29-33-5).
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FOREURS 6 ARMADA 1
VAL-D’OR, Que. — Jeremy Michel scored once and set up three more and Jonathan Lemieux had 29 saves as the Foreurs beat Blainville-Boisbriand.
Yan Dion, Daniil Berestnev, Jacob Gaucher, David Noel and Peyton Hoyt rounded out the Val-d’Or (24-36-7) offence.
Miguel Tourigny scored for the Armada (26-39-2). Brendan Cregan turned away 38 shots in a losing cause.
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DRAKKAR 6 OCEANIC 4
BAIE-COMEAU, Que. — Gabriel Fortier scored twice and Ivan Chekhovich added a goal and two assists as the Drakkar defeated Rimouski.
Ethan Crossman, Samuel L’Italien and Thomas Ethier also scored as Alex D’Orio kicked out 26 shots for Baie-Comeau (49-14-4).
Jimmy Huntington, Ludovic Soucy, Carson MacKinnon and Radim Salda had goals while Colten Ellis made 27 saves for the Oceanic (43-20-4). Defenceman Vincent Martineau was ejected at 14:17 of the first for checking to the head.
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HUSKIES 8 OLYMPIQUES 0
ROUYN-NORANDA, Que. — Zachary Emond made 18 saves for his seventh shutout of the season and Rafael Harvey-Pinard scored twice as the Huskies blanked Gatineau.
Jacob Neveu, Joel Teasdale, Justin Bergeron, Ryan MacLellan, Tyler Hinam and Felix Bibeau also scored for Rouyn-Noranda (58-8-1).
Remi Poirier kicked 52 shots for the Olympiques (23-38-6).
