Alexander Gaudio scored 30 seconds into overtime as the Rimouski Oceanic defeated the Saint John Sea Dogs 4-3 in overtime to win their best-of-five QMJHL first-round playoff series.
Rimouski came into the series as the lower-seed No. 6 to the Sea Dogs' No. 3 in the Eastern Conference.
The Oceanic took the first game, but dropped the next two to fall to the brink of elimination, but held on for a 1-0 victory Tuesday in Game 4 to force the fifth and deciding game.
Patrik Hamrla made 26 saves in the win for Rimouski while Sea Dogs netminder Nikolas Hurtubise stopped 21 shots.
William Dumoulin scored a pair of goals for the Oceanic within the first 6:50 of the contest.
Ryan Francis would respond for Saint John at 10:24 as Rimouski carried a 2-1 lead into the second period.
In that middle frame, Cam MacDonald would even things up at 2-2 with a goal at 13:32.
The Sea Dogs then took a 3-2 lead 1:19 into the third when Riley Bezeau found the back of Rimouski's net.
Saint John's lead wouldn't last for very long as Riley Bezeau tied the game again at 12:43.
From there, both goalies shut the door until Gaudio finished things off in the extra period half a minute in.
Up next for the Oceanic will be a second-round encounter with the top-seed Quebec Remparts.
The Remparts finished the regular season with a QMJHL-best 104 points and 51-15-2 record.
