Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Moncton advances to QMJHL final

For the first time since 2010, the Moncton Wildcats will play in the QMJHL final.

The Wildcats secured their spot in the league championship series with a 4-3 overtime win over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Wednesday, completing a four-game sweep.

It's the fourth time the Wildcats will play for the Gilles Courteau Trophy and the first since 2010 when they defeated the Saint John Sea Dogs in six games. That was Moncton's second QMJHL title after winning their first in 2006.

Alex Mercier netted the winner just 4:17 into overtime. The goal came after the Huskies had tied it up with just 1:50 remaining in the third period and their goaltender pulled. That goal was reviewed for goaltender interference but did count.
Moncton is now 4-0 in overtime games in these playoffs.

The Wildcats will play either the Rimouski Oceanic or the Shawinigan Cataractes in the final. That semifinal series is tied 2-2 following a 3-2 double overtime win by the Cataractes on Wednesday. Isaac Menard scored the winner on a breakaway two minutes into the second overtime.

The Oceanic continue to get banged up in these playoffs, suffering even more setbacks in their Game 3 loss on Tuesday. Here's who the Oceanic were missing for Game 4.
Former Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko recorded two shots on goal in the loss. Vince Elie, meanwhile, had one shot and a rough night in the facoff dot (7/24) in the victory.

Game 5 of this series takes place Friday in Rimouski.

With Rimouski hosting the Memorial Cup, an Oceanic series win would mean an automatic berth in the CHL tournament for the Wildcats.

Some other Wednesday night notes...

  • The London Knights are heading back to the OHL final after defeating the Kitchener Rangers 4-2, completing a sweep of the Western Conference final. The Knights, who are 12-0 in these playoffs, will play in a third straight OHL championship series. They'll face either the Oshawa Generals or Barrie Colts. The Generals, who lost to the Knights in last year's final, currently lead the series 3-0 heading into Game 4 on Thursday.
  • Travis Crickard and Team Canada survived a scare at the IIHF U18 World Championship in Texas, needing overtime to defeat Czechia 3-2 in quarterfinal play. Cole Reschny of the WHL's Victoria Royals netted the overtime winner. Canada will play Slovakia in the semifinals on Friday.
  • Former Sea Dogs captain Spencer Smallman scored his fourth career AHL playoff goal to help the Hershey Bears earn a 3-0 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in Game 1 of their best-of-five Atlantic Division semifinal series. Smallman also had a team high four shots. Game 2 is Friday.
  • In other AHL playoff action, Joshua Roy had three shots in the Laval Rocket's 3-2 Game 1 victory over the Cleveland Monsters. Game 2 of the North Division semifinal series is Friday.
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