Saguenéens stun Wildcats in Game 6

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MONCTON - The unpredictability of high stakes junior hockey was on full display Friday.

The Chicoutimi Saguenéens scored six times in the third period to stun the Moncton Wildcats, winning 7-6 to take a 3-2 lead in the Gilles-Courteau Trophy final. The Sags can win their first Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League championship since 1994 with a victory on home ice Sunday.

The only way to describe the final result on Friday night? Stunning. Moncton led 4-0 in the second period and were up 4-1 entering the third. Chicoutimi completely turned the tides in the final frame, scoring three times in the first 5:56 and adding two more on a four-minute power play to take a 6-4 advantage.

A deflated Wildcats team couldn't get much of anything going in the third until Gavin Cornforth got Moncton within one at 17:14. It looked as though Peteris Bulans iced the game with an empty net goal at 18:40 only for Kuzma Voronin to drag Moncton within one again with 37 seconds remaining.

The Wildcats would generate one final dangerous opportunity but couldn't convert.

The Wildcats were outshot 13-5 in the third period and 35-25 overall.

Bulans led the way for Chicoutimi with a hat trick while Nathan Lecompte, Liam Lefebvre, Mavrick Lachance and Maxim Schäfer added singles. Lucas Beckman made 19 saves in the win.

Teddy Mutryn, Rian Chudzinski, Gabe Smith and Niko Tournas also scored for Moncton. Rudy Guimond made 28 saves in the loss.

The Wildcats have rebounded from tough losses in these playoffs – and they'll need to do so again if they want to keep their season alive on Sunday.

Archambault joins Phoenix staff

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will have an entirely different coaching staff behind the bench for the 2026-27 season.

It was announced Friday that assistant coach Tim Archambault has joined the Sherbrooke Phoenix staff for the upcoming season. He'll be an assistant coach with the Phoenix.

"Sea Dogs assistant coach Tim Archambault has accepted an opportunity to move closer to home and join the Sherbrooke Phoenix coaching staff," the Sea Dogs posted on social media. 

"Congratulations Tim, and best of luck in Sherbrooke!"

Archambault leaves the Sea Dogs after one season behind the bench. He was a Quebec regional scout with the Sea Dogs the season prior.

J'aimerais remercier Gilles Bouchard, ainsi que tous les membres de l'organisation du Phoenix de Sherbrooke pour cette opportunité. Je suis très enthousiaste de commencer ce nouveau défi! https://t.co/iIl6WxeE0d

— Tim Archambault (@TArchambaultPSL) May 15, 2026

Archambault stayed with the Sea Dogs following the departure of head coach Travis Crickard late in the season. Mark Lee, the team's other assistant, departed at the same time as Crickard.

Archambault remained an assistant with the team under interim head coach Brian Casey to finish out the 2025-26 season.

The only coach currently listed on Saint John's staff is director of hockey operations and assistant coach Kyle MacDonald, who completed his first season with the club. MacDonald was on the bench for a few games after Crickard's departure.

QMJHL final tied at 2-2

Bruno Girard/Chicoutimi Saguenéens

MONCTON - The Gilles-Courteau Trophy final is now a best-of-three.

The Moncton Wildcats overcame 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to defeat the Chicoutimi Saguenéens 4-3 on Wednesday night at Georges Vezina Centre, evening the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League championship series at 2-2.

Game 5 will take place Friday at Avenir Centre. Game 6 will be Sunday night back in Chicoutimi while a Game 7, if needed, would be Tuesday in Moncton.

The Wildcats scored three unanswered goals in Wednesday's win, which included two in the third period. Rian Chudzinski scored the winner at 14:15 of the third.

St. Andrews native Gabe Smith scored twice for Moncton. He continues to lead the QMJHL in playoff goals (18) and points (30).

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen was an impressive +3 in the victory. He had one assist and three shots.

A few other news and notes...

• Chicoutimi forward Maxim Massé, the QMJHL's MVP who recorded 51 goals in the regular season, has yet to score in this series against Moncton. He has six goals in 18 playoff games this year.
• This Chicoutimi/Moncton series has been living up to the hype with each of the past three games being decided by a goal.
• It's looking like Avenir Centre will be sold out for Friday's Game 5. The first two games of the series in Moncton had large crowds but were not at capacity.
• In the WHL final, the top-seeded Everett Silvertips have taken a 3-1 series lead over the Prince Albert Raiders. Game 5 is Friday night in Prince Albert.
• At the Centennial Cup, the Summerside Western Capitals will face the Truro Bearcats in quarterfinal play on Friday. Matthew MacLean, Justin Robinson and the Capitals were eliminated in Game 7 of the Maritime Junior Hockey League semifinals by the Bearcats.
• In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Joe Veleno and the Montreal Canadiens have taken a 3-2 series lead over the Buffalo Sabres thanks to a 6-3 win on Wednesday. Veleno had one shot and was a -1 in 9:56 of ice time. Game 6 is Saturday in Montreal.

Boutilier passes away at 63

Paul Boutilier, a former assistant coach and consultant with the Saint John Sea Dogs, has died. He was 63.

Boutilier, a Sydney, NS native, played in the QMJHL, worlds juniors and NHL before a lengthy coaching career.

From the NHL Alumni Association:

The NHL Alumni Association is deeply saddened to learn that Paul Boutilier has passed away at the age of 63.

A defenseman, Paul played major junior hockey with the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Castors beginning in 1980, and was selected by the New York Islanders in the first round of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. Paul made his NHL debut later that year, skating in his first career game on October 31, 1981, with the Islanders at the Montreal Forum, later returning to Sherbrooke for the remainder of the season.

Paul split time between the NHL and the QMJHL during the 1982-83 season, appearing in 29 games for the Islanders, and scored his first NHL goal on November 18, 1982, at home at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Playing in his final season of major junior hockey, Paul served as team captain for the newly relocated Saint-Jean Castors. Paul joined the Islanders for the 1983 Stanley Cup Playoffs, appearing in two games as the Islanders captured the final of their four consecutive Stanley Cups. 

After 213 regular-season games with the Islanders from 1981 to 1986, Paul would go on to play for the Boston Bruins and Minnesota North Stars the following season, and later for the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets, respectively.

From Sydney, Nova Scotia, Paul returned to his home province after the conclusion of his playing career, accepting a position as an assistant coach for Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, serving in the role from 1991 to 1993 before being promoted to head coach, a position he held until 1997.

With a wealth of knowledge and experience, Paul later served in a multitude of coaching and front office positions across the collegiate, junior, and professional levels of hockey.

Internationally, Paul proudly represented Canada on multiple occasions and at both the junior and senior levels, highlighted by a gold medal at the 1982 World Junior Hockey Championships.

We send our deepest condolences to Paul’s family, friends, and former teammates during this incredibly difficult time.

Boutilier spent a couple seasons behind the Sea Dogs bench as an assistant, helping the team win a QMJHL championship in 2017. He was hired again by Saint John as a defense consultant during the 2021-22 season, helping the club win the Memorial Cup on home ice.

Notebook: Veleno gets first playoff point

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Joe Veleno recorded his first career NHL playoff point on Sunday.

Veleno registered an assist on a Zachary Bolduc goal in the Montreal Canadiens' 6-2 Game 3 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Veleno played 12:18 in the game and also recorded one shot and five hits.

What is this pass from Logan Stanley pic.twitter.com/y2LE7mKtMq

— Rink Rat Report (@RinkRatReport) May 11, 2026

Veleno has played in all four games for the Habs in their second round series against the Sabres. This is his first career appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Canadiens and Sabres are tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 on Thursday in Buffalo.

FLAMES SIGN ALCHORN

The Saint John Flames of the Beausejour Senior Hockey League have announced another signing with Sea Dogs connections.

Forward Zachary Alchorn will play for the team this fall. He was the second player to sign with the club after former Sea Dogs forward Nick Blagden.

According to Elite Prospects, Alchorn hasn't played competitive level hockey since the 2023-24 season when he appeared in 14 games with the Southern Senior Hockey League's River Valley Rock.

The Grand Bay-Westfield native spent most of his junior career with the St. Stephen Aces/Fredericton Red Wings franchise. He appeared in 16 games with the Sea Dogs during the COVID season of 2020-21, recording three goals and two assists. He added a goal and four assists in six playoff games.

Saguenéens take series lead with OT win

Bruno Girard/Chicoutimi Saguenéens

The Chicoutimi Saguenéens have taken a 2-1 series lead in the Gilles-Courteau Trophy final.

Thomas Desruisseaux scored at 16:58 of overtime to give the Saguenéens a 5-4 win over the Moncton Wildcats on Tuesday night at Georges Vezina Centre.

Moncton forced overtime with two third period goals. Teddy Mutryn scored on a power play at 10:39 to cut Chicoutimi's lead to 4-3 and then sconnected again at 19:35 to tie things. The game-tying goal was a strange one as defenseman Tomas Lavoie and goaltender Lucas Beckman both misplayed a flip in.

Wow, miracle for @monctonwildcats ! 🙏

Another weird bounce workd in Teddy Mutryn's favor, who scores with 25 seconds left in the 3rd, and it's 4-4!

We're going to overtime! 🥵#QPlayoffs | #Proxi pic.twitter.com/n9cPwvNLcv

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 13, 2026

It was a strange night overall. Even the overtime goal was a weird one as it appeared as though Rudy Guimond had made a pad save – but after review it was apparent that Guimond's pad was below the goal line.

Voilà l’angle vidéo qui a mené au crédit du but gagnant à Thomas Desruisseaux ce soir. #FinaleLHJMQ2026 pic.twitter.com/5tR31iYem6

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) May 13, 2026

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen also scored a weird goal, which tied the game at 2-2 in the second period.

Trick shot 🎱 https://t.co/tBULAmnm0g pic.twitter.com/nMTmUT29YQ

— Moncton Wildcats (@monctonwildcats) May 13, 2026

Moncton opened the scoring early in the first period but were playing from behind for much of the game. It wasn't until the third period and overtime that the Wildcats were able to control play for long stretches – play they'll hope to carry over into a pivotal Game 4 on Wednesday night.

Jordan Tourigny scored a pair of goals for Chicoutimi while singles came from Desruisseaux, Emile Guité and Christophe Berthelot. Beckman made 37 saves in the win – including 11 in overtime.

Simon Binkley also scored for Moncton. Rudy Guimond made 35 saves in the loss.