QMJHL Third Round Playoff Update
We’ve been updating you fine folks on all the different minor junior leagues playoff series’ leading up to the Memorial Cup battle. Today we take a journey down to the QMJHL to round up the conference final matches. Both series’ are knotted a 2 games a piece with neither team willing to go down without a fight.
Baie Comeau Drakkar (2) Vs. Blainville Boisbraind Armada (2)
Drakkar and Armada will reignite their conference finals match tonight in Baie Comeau, as one team looks to take a commanding 3-2 lead and move one step closer to the QMJHL Championship. These two teams do not like each other at all and after a spearing incident at the end of their last meeting, tonight’s game 5 could get a little testy on the ice. Drakkar will be without captain Félix Girard after being suspended one game for his spear in game 4. Nikita Jevpalovs ranks 9th in QMJHL playoff scoring for the Armada and is the only player from this series in the top 10 of scoring where as Drakkar’s best point getter Charles Hudon ranks 14th.
While scoring has been low in this series compared to the other conference final, Drakkar has one hot netminder coming of an impressive CHL goaltender of the week award in Philippe Cadorette. Cadorette was huge in helping Drakkar establish a 2-0 series lead and posted a near perfect 0.50 goals against average and save percentage of .978.
Halifax Mooseheads (2) Vs. Val d’or Foreurs (2)
Photo Courtesy of Getty images. Credit to Joel Auerbach
The Mooseheads fell into an early 2-0 series deficit but thanks to the strong play of Jonathan Drouin who virtually put the Moosehead on his back, they fought back to even the series at 2. Drioun has been leading the Moosehead all season and ranks first in playoff scoring with 37 points in 13 games. Drouin has made it clear this season that there is nothing left for him in the QMJHL level and is hoping to end his QMJHL time with a Memorial Cup birth.
The Foreurs leading scorer Louick Marcotte is not far off in the scoring race with 25 points in 14 games and paired with Anthony Mantha had helped Foreurs to an early 2-0 series lead. While Louick Marcotte is coming off a CHL player off the week award for his two goals and five assists last week.
The Mooseheads and Foreurs will continue their series on Saturday as one team looks to gain the upper hand and a 3-2 series lead.
Halifax is coming off their QMJHL Cup victory last season with an impressive 4-1 series over the Baie Comeau Drakkar. If both teams happen to advance it will be a repeat of last years QMJHL Championship.