Wildcats dominant in Game 1 win

Embed from Getty Images

MONCTON - The Moncton Wildcats dominated the first game of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy final.

The Wildcats controlled the play for most of the night in a 4-1 victory over the Rimouski Oceanic at a sold out Avenir Centre. Shots ended 38-14 in favour of the Wildcats – with half of the Oceanic's shots coming in the third period.

Game 2 of the series will take place Sunday night in Moncton.

The Wildcats came ready to play. They led just 1-0 after the first period but shots were 13-3. Rimouski didn't record their first shot on net until there was 4:11 remaining in the first.

The Oceanic looked very much like a banged up and tired team that's coming off a seven-game series. We'll see if they can rebound.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs captain Eriks Mateiko had just one shot on goal for the Oceanic. He, like most of the Rimouski lineup, simply couldn't solve Moncton's strong defensive play.

Some other Saturday stuff...

• In the OHL, the London Knights evened up the championship series at 1-1 with a 5-2 victory over the Oshawa Generals. Game 3 takes place Monday in Oshawa. 
• The Medicine Hat Tigers opened the WHL championship series with a 4-1 win over the Spokane Chiefs on Friday. Game 2 takes place Sunday night.
• In the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs, Spencer Smallman and the Hershey Bears have forced a winner-take-all Game 5 with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms thanks to a 6-4 win on Friday. Smallman had two assists and a fight in the victory. Game 5 takes place Sunday in Hershey.
• Riley Bezeau made his 2025 playoff debut with the Charlotte Checkers on Friday. The Checkers fell 3-2 in overtime to the Providence Bruins, forcing a winner-take-all Game 5 on Sunday in Charlotte.
• In the ECHL's Kelly Cup Playoffs, Matt Murphy was a -1 with two shots as the Fort Wayne Komets' season came to an end with a 5-3 Game 6 loss to the Toledo Walleye on Saturday.
• Kelly Bent and the Orlando Solar Bears had their season come to an end on Saturday as well, falling 3-1 to the Florida Everblades in Game 5. Bent did have a fight in Friday's Game 4.

  Kelly Bent and Kyle Neuber square off and then shenanigans ensue! The Battle of Florida #ECHL style! #HockeyFight pic.twitter.com/qEBOldlQ9m

  — Brews’d & Battered Pod (@BrewsdBattered) May 10, 2025

• Nicolas Guay, Vincent Sevigny and the Trois-Rivieres Lions fell 1-0 to the Norfolk Admirals on Friday. That best-of-seven series is now tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 on Sunday in Norfolk.
• The Edmundston Blizzard dropped their second contest of the Centennial Cup in Calgary, falling 5-3 to the SJHL's Melfort Mustangs. The Blizzard are now 1-1 heading into their Monday afternoon matchup with the QJHL's Valleyfield Braves.
• The Muskegon Lumberjacks have tied the USHL final at 1-1 thanks to a 4-1 win over the Waterloo Black Hawks on Saturday. Fredericton's Tynan Lawrence had a goal, an assist and five shots for the Lumberjacks. Waterloo won Friday's game 8-5. Game 3 is next Friday in Muskegon.