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Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Notebook: Remparts, Islanders advance

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs
The top two teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Eastern Conference standings have earned spots in the second round of the President Cup playoffs.

The Quebec Remparts and Charlottetown Islanders both finished off first round sweeps on Monday night. The Remparts doubled up the Chicoutimi Sagueneens 6-3 while the Islanders allowed just 13 shots in a 5-0 win over the Moncton Wildcats.

The Remparts, the No. 1 seed, will face the lowest Eastern Conference seed that advances to the next round. If the Saint John Sea Dogs defeat the Rimouski Oceanic Tuesday night, that would lock in a Sea Dogs-Islanders second round series while the Remparts would face the winner of the Halifax-Bathurst series.

Over in the Western Conference, the Shawinigan Cataractes were the lone team to complete a first round sweep, eliminating the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Here's a look at the remaining series heading into action Tuesday.

Eastern Conference
Rimouski (6) vs Saint John (3): Sea Dogs lead 2-1
Halifax (5) vs Bathurst (4): Mooseheads lead 2-1

Western Conference
Baie-Comeau (8) vs Sherbrooke (1): Phoenix lead 2-1
Val-d'Or (7) vs Gatineau (2): Olympiques lead 2-1
Blainville-Boisbriand (5) vs Drummondville (4): Armada lead 2-1

SUSPENSION
Rimouski's Alexandre Lefebvre has been suspended two games by the QMJHL for his knee on Saint John's Jeremie Poirier in Friday's game at TD Station.

Lefebvre was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for his actions, which took place midway through the first period. He'll miss games three and four of the first round series between the Oceanic and Sea Dogs.

Poirier was helped off the ice and to the dressing room but returned later in the period.

Lefebvre, 18, had six assists in 34 games with Rimouski during the regular season.

HONOURABLE MENTION
Sea Dogs goaltender Thomas Couture was an honourable mention for QMJHL goaltender of the month. 


All Thomas Couture and his Sea Dogs did in the final month of the season was win. While the 2022 Memorial Cup hosts entered the postseason on a 15-game streak, Couture allowed two goals or fewer in seven outings since April 1st, including a 37-save triumph over Quebec on April 10th and a 22-save shutout versus Cape Breton on the 16th. This spectacular conclusion to the season allowed Couture to earn the highest win total in the Q this campaign (29).

Samuel Richard of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies won the award for April.

SHORTIES
ATTENDANCE WOES
Yes, there are a million potential reasons why attendance was so low at last week's Sea Dogs home playoff games. It was still disappointing to see after some decent sized crowds down the stretch.

The Sea Dogs had announced crowds of 2,005 (Thursday) and 2,142 (Friday) last week. Thursday's crowd was the smallest in franchise playoff history.

Perhaps being the Memorial Cup host team is a factor? In 2019, the Halifax Mooseheads did not have a playoff crowd over 10,000 at Scotiabank Centre. The Moose only had a crowd over 9,000 once and that was for Game 6 of the President Cup final.

CHABOT NAMED TO TEAM CANADA
Chabot was one of seven defensemen to be named to the squad. The 25-year-old previously played with Canada at the World Championship in 2018 and 2019. He recorded two goals and seven points at the 2019 tournament.

In 59 games with the Ottawa Senators this season, Chabot recorded seven goals and 31 assists. He missed a chunk of the season with a broken hand.

This year's tournament takes place May 13-29 in Finland.

OTHER THINGS
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