Wildcats take 2-0 series lead; Sea Dogs alumni advance in AHL playoffs

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MONCTON - The Moncton Wildcats remain undefeated in overtime in the QMJHL playoffs.

The Wildcats improved to 5-0 in extra time with a 4-3 double overtime victory over the Rimouski Oceanic on Sunday night Avenir Centre. Vincent Collard scored the winner 2:34 into double OT.

The Wildcats now lead the Gilles-Courteau Trophy final 2-0 heading into Game 3 in Rimouski on Wednesday.

Moncton improved to 8-0 at home with the win while goaltender Rudy Guimond is now 24-0 in the regular season and playoffs combined. Guimond made a few excellent stops in overtime to keep the game going.

At the other end, Oceanic netminder William Lacelle was also excellent, making 42 saves in the loss.

After Moncton dominated Game 1 on Saturday, this was a much more competitive match and featured a couple lead changes. The Oceanic tied the game with their goaltender pulled at 17:20 of the third, which sent the match into overtime.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Eriks Mateiko had an assist and six shots in the loss.

A few other news and notes from Sunday...

• Saturday's attendance of 8,512 at Avenir Centre was the largest crowd for any QMJHL playoff game this year.

  Last night's crowd at Avenir Centre was the largest in the QMJHL playoffs this year. pic.twitter.com/xAnizdnr1R

  — Jamie Tozer (@station_nation) May 11, 2025

• In the AHL's Calder Cup Playoffs, Spencer Smallman opened the scoring and had five shots as the Hershey Bears defeated the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 4-2 to win the series 3-2. 

  Spencer Smallman scored on a mad scramble in front! Lapierre and Limoges with the assists! pic.twitter.com/cD7VKKr37A

  — Bears Hockey Nation (@HBHNationBlog) May 11, 2025

• Riley Bezeau did not play but the Charlotte Checkers got the job done, defeating the Providence Bruins 5-2 to take the series 3-2. Charlotte and Hershey will meet in the next round, which begins Friday.
• In the ECHL's Kelly Cup Playoffs, Nicolas Guay, Vincent Sevigny and the Trois-Rivieres Lions defeated the Norfolk Admirals 1-0 in overtime to take a 3-2 series lead heading back to Quebec. Game 6 is Tuesday.
• The National Lacrosse League playoffs came to an end for Dawson Theede and the Halifax Thunderbirds on Saturday. The Thunderbirds fell 10-9 in overtime to the Saskatchewan Rush in Saskatoon, losing the best-of-three semifinal series 2-0. Theede had two goals and four assists in the loss.