QMJHL issues statement on Chicoutimi's disallowed goal

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League issued a statement Thursday regarding a controversial call during Wednesday night's semifinal playoff matchup between the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Late in the first period and with the Huskies leading 2-1, the Sagueneens scored what replays on the  FloHockey broadcast appeared to show was a goal. The play was reviewed and it was declared not to be a goal. 

Jugez par vous-mêmes...#fierdetresags#DéfendonsNosCouleurs pic.twitter.com/mKDxrgaA5Q

— Saguenéens (@SagueneensLHJMQ) April 30, 2026

The Huskies won the game 4-3 to even the series at 2-2.

In a statement, the league said officials do not have access to all the camera angles used on the broadcast.

Following the Saguenéens’ disallowed goal on Wednesday night, the QMJHL would like to clarify a few points.

To ensure consistency across the league, the QMJHL uses an identical video replay system for its video judges and on-ice officials in all 18 of its arenas. However, due to technical limitations, this system cannot utilize all of the web broadcaster’s camera angles. Furthermore, the QMJHL wants to ensure that the footage used for reviews is indeed controlled by the league so that the decision-making process remains independent of the teams involved.

In yesterday’s specific case, the camera located behind the net was not accessible to the video judge and officials. The footage they had access to therefore did not allow them to confirm, beyond any doubt, that the puck had crossed the goal line.

The QMJHL is aware of the limitations of the current system and was already in the process of implementing more effective technology league-wide for the 2026-2027 season, which will allow access to additional cameras for the benefit of our players, teams, officials and fans.

Situations like this have happened in the past, but rarely of this magnitude during the league semifinals. In this region, there were some minor incidents like this when Rogers TV broadcast games back in the day.

Game 5 of this series takes place Friday in Chicoutimi.

The QMJHL's other semifinal continues on Friday night as well with the Moncton Wildcats returning home to host the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. That series is also tied 2-2.

It's the first time since 2014 that both semifinals have been tied 2-2.

C'est la première fois en 12 ans que les deux séries du carré d'as sont égales 2 à 2 après quatre rencontres.

La dernière fois, en 2014:
2-2 HAL/VDO
2-2 BAC/BLB https://t.co/wYHCo5kO0w

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) April 30, 2026

Moncton and Chicoutimi entered the semifinals unbeaten in the playoffs.