The Rimouski Oceanic scored the first two goals and then hung on to defeat the visiting Shawinigan Cataractes 5-1 in Friday's opening game of their Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League semifinal series.
Mael St-Denis, Jacob Mathieu, Lou Levesque, Pier-Olivier Roy and Thomas Belzil scored for the Oceanic, who led 2-1 after the first period and 3-1 heading into the third. Maxime Coursol and Alexandre Blais chipped in with two assists.
Vince Elie scored for the Cataractes, who were outshot 35-34.
The Oceanic went 0-for-3 on the power play, while the Cataractes were 0-for-1.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Sunday in Rimouski.
Elsewhere in the QMJHL playoffs on Friday:
WILDCATS 2, HUSKIES 1
MONCTON, N.B. — Preston Lounsbury had a goal and assist, netminder Rudy Guimond made 28 saves, and the Moncton Wildcats defeated the visiting Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 2-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven semifinal series.
Natan Grenier also scored for the Wildcats who won Thursday's opening game 5-3.
Bill Zonnon scored for the Huskies, who outshot the hosts 29-27. The teams were scoreless after the first period and the Huskies took a 1-0 lead into the third.
The Wildcats went 0-for-1 on the power play, while the Huskies did not have a power play.
Game 3 in the series is Tuesday in Rouyn-Noranda, Que.
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