Mooseheads even up series with Phoenix

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The Halifax Mooseheads are coming home with a series split.

The Mooseheads won Thursday night's critical Game 4 of the Gilles Courteau Trophy semifinal series, defeating the Sherbrooke Phoenix 5-2. The best-of-seven series now returns to Scotiabank Centre tied 2-2 after the Moose took two straight from the Phoenix on the road.

Like Tuesday's Game 3, the Mooseheads took a 4-0 lead, stunning the Sherbrooke crowd that has witnessed very few losses this year. Halifax led 2-0 after one and doubled their lead in the middle frame. The Phoenix trailed just 14 times after one period in the regular season - and only five of those matches took place at home. Sherbrooke trailed after one in both of these home losses to Halifax.

Sherbrooke pressed in the third period. Joshua Roy and Tyson Hinds both scored but that would be the only goals the Phoenix could generate. 

Alexandre Doucet finished with two goals for Halifax while Mathieu Cataford, Attilio Biasca and Evan Boucher also scored. Mathis Rousseau was excellent in net, ensuring momentum stayed in Halifax's favour when the game was close.

Le Rooster is dialed in. #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/W6DhdVZ91i

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) May 5, 2023

The Mooseheads were still out forward Jordan Dumais and defenseman Cameron Whynot due to injuries. They did get forward Braeden MacPhee back though, who rejoined the club following the passing of his mother.

The series shifts back to Halifax where Sherbrooke took Games 1 and 2 last Saturday and Sunday. While this was expected to be a close and competitive series, there's probably not many who predicted neither team would have a home victory at this point.

Sherbrooke entered the series with a home record of 33-1-3-1 in the regular season and playoffs combined. They've now dropped back-to-back home games in regulation time.

Following Saturday's Game 5 (which has a 2 p.m. start), Game 6 is back in Sherbrooke on Sunday night at 6 p.m. A Game 7, if needed, would be Tuesday night in Halifax.

The winner of this series will face the Quebec Remparts in the Gilles Courteau Trophy final.

Remparts advance to QMJHL final

The Quebec Remparts will play in the Gilles Courteau Trophy final.

The Remparts advanced to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championship series with a 3-1 win over the Gatineau Olympiques on Wednesday, completing a four-game sweep.

Wednesday's game was another close one. Alexis Gendron scored just nine seconds into the match to get a sold out Slush Puppie Centre rocking - but the Gatineau crowd didn't have much to cheer for beyond that.

Justin Robidas tied the game at 7:38 of the first period on a nice feed from former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Charles Savoie. In the second, former Dog Cam MacDonald was awarded a penalty shot after being tripped up on a breakaway. MacDonald was denied by William Rousseau on his free chance, a key stop by the Quebec goaltender.

Charle Truchon scored what proved to be the game-winner at 11:25 of the third. Vsevolod Komarov scored into an empty net at 19:00 to make it a 3-1 final.

The Remparts have the lead! Truchon just fired a heavy wrist shot through the five-hole! #QPlayoffs | @quebec_remparts pic.twitter.com/5ha8cP5exw

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 4, 2023

Quebec remains a perfect 12-0 through three rounds.

The Remparts finished first overall in the QMJHL's regular season and will have home ice advantage in the final regardless of who they play. The Olympiques, who loaded up at the trade deadline and were one of the league's best teams in the second half, finished fourth overall with 105 points.

Remparts a win away from final; Mooseheads get back into series

The Quebec Remparts are a win away from advancing to the Gilles Courteau Trophy final.

The Remparts took a 3-0 series lead in their semifinal series against the Gatineau Olympiques on Tuesday, earning a 5-4 overtime victory at the Slush Puppie Centre. James Malatesta put in his own rebound on a breakaway at 5:59 of the extra frame to give Quebec a commanding lead in the series.

JAMES MALATESTA EN PROLONGATION!!

Les @quebec_remparts mènent la série 3-0#CBJ prospect James Malatesta's second of the night puts the #Remparts up 3-0 in the series. #RoadtoMemorialCup pic.twitter.com/lcHShX1GUY

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 3, 2023

Much like Sunday's Game 2, the Olympiques opened the scoring but then Quebec stormed back, taking a 3-1 lead. Then, like Game 2, the Olympiques retook momentum, this time taking a 4-3 lead. Zachary Bolduc tied the game at 16:03 of the third to send the match into overtime.

The Remparts are now a perfect 11-0 this post-season. The Olympiques fall to 4-1 on home ice.

Game 4 is Wednesday night in Gatineau.

In Sherbrooke, the Halifax Mooseheads got back into their semifinal series with a 5-2 win. The Phoenix now lead the series 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Thursday in Sherbrooke.

Halifax scored three times in the first period to stun the Sherbrooke crowd. Alexandre Doucet, who scored the game-tying goal in the final 10 seconds on Sunday, finished the game with a goal and two assists. Josh Lawrence secured the win with a third period empty net goal - a period that saw the Phoenix outshoot the Mooseheads 18-5.

Empty net goal Josh Lawrence!

5-2 Mooseheads with 2:30 to play. pic.twitter.com/zoPhKaKKNL

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) May 3, 2023

Lawrence also had two shots in the game and won 16 of 20 faceoffs.

Sherbrooke entered the game with a home record of 33-1-3-1 in the regular season and playoffs combined.

The Mooseheads were without forward Jordan Dumais, the QMJHL's regular season scoring champion. The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect was injured in Sunday's Game 2 and is "out indefinitely" according to the team.

The Moose were also without defenseman Cameron Whynot because of illness. Halifax captain Attilio Biasca returned to the lineup after missing Sunday's match with an illness.

Alumdate: Will ex-Dog(s) lift the AHL's Calder Cup this year?

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No former Saint John Sea Dogs player will lift the Stanley Cup this season. But what about the American Hockey League's Calder Cup?

Only a few former Sea Dogs remain in the hunt for the AHL championship - which include Jeremie Poirier and Yan Kuznetsov, members of the Calgary Wranglers who have a real shot at the Calder Cup after finishing first overall in the regular season standings.

The Wranglers currently have a 2-0 series lead over the Abbotsford Canucks in the Pacific Division semifinals. Calgary had a bye through the first round.

Poirier has one assist - which was a nifty one-handed pass to Clark Bishop - so far in the series while Kuznetsov has not played.

Clark Bishop, off to a 𝙝𝙤𝙩 start in the #CalderCup Playoffs 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5Q1MO8sCqo

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) April 29, 2023

The Colorado Eagles also feature two former Sea Dogs in forwards Cedric Pare and Spencer Smallman. The Eagles, who defeated the Ontario Reign in the first round, currently lead the Coachella Valley Firebirds 2-1.

Pare sits fifth in AHL playoff scoring with four goals and two assists in five games. Smallman has been held pointless in three games.

Maxim Cajkovic, who played in just two regular season games with the Syracuse Crunch, has appeared in one playoff game. The Crunch are tied 2-2 with the Rochester Americans in the North Division semifinals.

William Villeneuve and the Toronto Marlies are currently tied 1-1 with the Utica Comets in the North Division semifinals while Riley Bezeau and the Charlotte Checkers trail the Hershey Bears 2-0 in the Atlantic Division semifinals. Bezeau has appeared in one playoff game while Villeneuve has yet to play.

Matthew Highmore (Springfield Thunderbirds) and Boko Imama (Tucson Roadrunners) were eliminated in the opening round.

Here's a quick look at how former Sea Dogs performed in the AHL's regular season.

Phoenix, Remparts both go up 2-0

HALIFAX - The Sherbrooke Phoenix and Quebec Remparts have grabbed 2-0 series leads in their respective Giles Courteau Trophy semifinal playoff matchups.

Tyson Hinds scored at 8:45 of overtime to give the Phoenix a 3-2 win over the Halifax Mooseheads on Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Centre. Sherbrooke took Game 1 of the series 5-2 on Saturday night.

It was all Phoenix in the first period, taking a 2-0 lead and outshooting the Mooseheads 17-3. But Halifax found their groove in the second period and, although they didn't score, looked much more like the offensively gifted Mooseheads we are used to seeing.

Mathieu Cataford got Halifax within one at 7:43 of the third. Then, with goaltender Mathis Rousseau on the bench, former Saint John Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence made a great feed down low to Alexandre Doucet who redirected the puck past Olivier Adam, tying the game with 8.5 seconds remaining in regulation time.

Let's hear you Scotiabank Centre 📢

🚨 Doucet (7) 19:51 3rd period
🍎 Lawrence, Furlong #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/87viZRofna

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) April 30, 2023

The Phoenix had the better of the chances in overtime and secured the win with Hinds' goal. Hinds, a member of Team Canada at this year's world junior tournament in Halifax, knows all about winning in overtime at Scotiabank Centre.

The series now shifts to Sherbrooke for Games 3 and 4. There are certainly some concerns over the health of the Mooseheads who went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen due to captain Attilio Biasca missing the game with an illness. QMJHL scoring champion Jordan Dumais, meanwhile, left the game in the second period with an upper body injury and did not return.

Phoenix take Game 1 from Mooseheads

HALIFAX - Jacob Melanson scored a first period hat trick to lead the Sherbrooke Phoenix to a Game 1 victory over the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday night.

Melanson, who had eight shots, opened the scoring and added two more in the opening frame to guide the Phoenix to a 5-2 victory. The Seattle Kraken prospect now has eight goals and six assists in nine playoff games.

Former Sea Dogs forward Joshua Roy also scored in the win. Roy sits second in QMJHL playoff scoring with 22 points.

Anthony Munroe-Boucher added Sherbrooke's other goal. Olivier Adam made 17 saves in the win.

The high powered Mooseheads offense registered just 19 shots in the loss while allowing 43. Former Sea Dogs forward Josh Lawrence scored a shorthanded marker in the first period that made it a 1-1 game at the time.

That gets the building shaking early. Oh baby.

🚨 Lawrence (7) SH 8:29 1st period
Unassisted | #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/SWTAS72vdO

— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) April 29, 2023

The Mooseheads have rebounded from rough Game 1 performances in these playoffs. They'll look to do the same on Sunday when the two meet for Game 2 at Scotiabank Centre. Game time is 4 p.m.

Some other things...

• Game 2 of the Quebec/Gatineau series is also on Sunday afternoon. The Remparts lead that series 1-0.
• Josh Lawrence sits third in QMJHL playoff scoring with 20 points.
• In the OHL conference finals, London leads Sarnia 1-0 and Peterborough leads North Bay 1-0. Those series resume on Sunday.