First-Round Matchups Set

SAINT JOHN – After 578 regular season games, the 2011-12 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season has come to an end.

The PEI Rocket have the unfortunate role of being the only team to miss the playoffs this year with the league only icing 17 squads. So, 16 teams will take part in the post-season once again this year.

The format is simple – the No. 1 seed will play the No. 16 seed, the No. 2 seed will play the No. 15 seed, and so on in the first-round. Here are the round one matchups.

Saint John Sea Dogs (1) vs Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (16)

Shawinigan Cataractes (2) vs Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (15)

Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (3) vs Gatineau Olympiques (14)

Victoriaville Tigres (4) vs Baie-Comeau Drakkar (13)

Quebec Remparts (5) vs Drummondville Voltigeurs (12)

Halifax Mooseheads (6) vs Moncton Wildcats (11)

Rimouski Oceanic (7) vs Val-d’Or Foreurs (10)

Chicoutimi Sagueneens (8) vs Acadie-Bathurst Titan (9)

Like every year, the teams the finished in the middle of standings should provide the post intriguing matchups. Halifax/Moncton, Rimouski/Val-d’Or, and Chicoutimi/Bathurst could all be close and hard fought playoff series'.

None of the schedules for the first-round have been released yet.

Looking ahead a bit to the second-round, there could be some interesting matchups. If there are no upsets in the first-round, Saint John would play Chicoutimi in a series that has plenty of storylines. Quebec/Victoriaville would likely be quite a series and Halifax/Blainville-Boisbriand could be a coin toss. We'll see what happens.

With Saint John finishing first overall, they will always play the lowest seeded team. That means there is no possible way for the Dogs to play Shawinigan unless it is in the league final. If that were to happen, Saint John would automatically earn a trip to the Memorial Cup.