Great moments come from great opportunities, Herb Brooks told his players ahead of the historic clash between the Americans and the Soviets at the Lake Placid Olympics. And perhaps with that phrase in mind, some teams will head into the QMJHL playoffs on Friday.
A four-headed monster has dominated the circuit this season and the formations set to face those forces from lap one seem unlikely to surprise.
Just look at the number of points the Remparts, the Mooseheads, the Olympiques and the Phoenix have accumulated in the standings (see tables below) to see how big the gap between these four teams is and the rest of the circuit is. .
But as Patrick Roy reminded us last Friday, “The series are the series and […] Surprises can happen in any round.”
Don’t take anything as guaranteed
His remparts meet the Islanders in this first round, opponents who have beaten them twice in as many encounters this year, including once by 7-1.
Except that the “Red Devils”, who have very high ambitions this season, with a side built for great success and a head coach who is certainly in the last round, do not seem to want to look down on any formation.
The memory of last year’s semi-final loss to the Cataractes is fresh in their minds.
natural rivalries
But it is more in the second round that the course of any of these four clubs could become more difficult if one of them risks taking on Victoriaville, fifth in the league, at the end of the regular schedule.
To do this, the Tigers must defeat the Voltigeurs, on which they should have the upper hand. Because yes, despite those four series likely to end quickly, there will be good hockey to eat in this first round of playoffs facing some natural rivals.
There’s Victoriaville and Drummondville, but most notably Rimouski and Chicoutimi. This final confrontation is likely to be the most contentious of the eight, based on our predictions.
Beware spoilsport
The Saguenéens were just a small point ahead of the Océanic in the standings and the two teams shared the honor of their eight meetings this season.
Even if Rimouski ended the year very poorly with 10 losses in the last 11 games, it is difficult to call a team around Serge Beausoleil beaten.
Last year his team eliminated the Sea Dogs, hosts of the Memorial Cup, and eventual champions of that cup in the first round. They then gave the Remparts a hard time, pushing their three-of-five streak to four games.
– With the collaboration of Kevin Dubé
Eastern Club
CHARLOTTETOWN ISLANDERS v. QUEBEC WALLS
CHARLOTTETOWN ISLANDERS
Top Scorer
- John Morneau
- 68 PY | 18B | 33A | 51 points
QUEBEC WALLS
Top Scorer
Archive photo, Didier Debusschère
Zachary Bolduc
- Zachary Bolduc
- 61 PJ | 50B | 60A | 110 points
THE LAST FACE TO FACE
- January 29: Charlottetown 1 Quebec 2 (P)
- October 22nd: Quebec 7 Charlottetown 1
PREDICTION OF PROTOCOL*
► Quebec in 4 games
CAPE BRETON EAGLE c. HALIFAX MOOSE HEADS
CAPE BRETON EAGLE
Top Scorer
- Ivan Ivan
- 64 PY | 33B | 57A | 90 points
HALIFAX MOOSE HEADS
Top Scorer
Archive photo, Didier Debusschère
Jordan Dumais
- Jordan Corn
- 64 PY | 54B | 86A | 140 points
THE LAST FACE TO FACE
- March 24: Cape Breton 2 Halifax 1
- 4th of March: Cape Breton 1 Halifax 6
- January 28: Cape Breton 1 Halifax 4
PREDICTION OF PROTOCOL*
► Halifax in 5 games
BAIE-COMEAU DRAKKAR c. MONCTON WILDCATS
BAIE-COMEAU DRAKKAR
Top Scorer
Photo archive, Agency QMI
Matjas Melowski
- Matyas Melowski
- 59 PJ | 6B | 52A | 58 points
MONCTON WILDCATS
Top Scorer
- Karl Beaudouin
- 64 PY | 24B | 48A | 72 points
THE LAST FACE TO FACE
- 3 March : Moncton 5 Baie Comeau 2
- November 4th: Baie Comeau 4 Moncton 3
PREDICTION OF PROTOCOL*
► Moncton in 6 games
RIMOUSKI OCEANIC c. SAGUENEANS BY CHICOUTIMI
RIMOUSKI OCEANIC
Top Scorer
Archive photo, Alexandre D’Astous
William Dumolin
- Wilhelm From the mill
- 65 PJ | 24B | 34A | 58 points
SAGUENEANS BY CHICOUTIMI
Top Scorer
- Andrei Loshko
- 67 PJ | 22B | 48A | 70 points
THE LAST FACE TO FACE
- 17. March: Rimouski 3 Chicoutimi 4 (P)
- February 26: Rimouski 0 Chicoutimi 4
- January 29: Rimouski 2 Chicoutimi 3
PREDICTION OF PROTOCOL*
► Chicoutimi in 7 games
Western association
Seals of St. John c. GATINEAU OLYMPIC GAMES
SEALS OF SAINT-JEAN
Top Scorer
- brady burns
- 61 PJ | 33B | 38A | 71 points
GATINEAU OLYMPIC GAMES
Top Scorer
Photo provided by QMJHL, Jean Lapointe
Riley kidney
- Riley kidney
- 60 PJ | 28B | 82A | 110 points
THE LAST FACE TO FACE
- February 4: John 3 Gatineau 11
- October 27: Gatineau 5 Saint Jean 6
PREDICTION OF PROTOCOL*
► Gatineau in 4 games
BLAINVILLE BOISBRIAND ARMADA c. PHOENIX OF SHERBROOKE
BLAINVILLE BOISBRIAND ARMADA
Top Scorer
- Jonathan Fauchon
- 53 PJ | 25B | 40A | 65 points
PHOENIX OF SHERBROOKE
Top Scorer
Photo archive, Agency QMI
Jacob Melanson
- Jacob melanson
- 59 PJ | 50B | 49A | 99 points
THE LAST FACE TO FACE
- February 10th: Sherbrooke 6 Blainville-Boisbriand 1
- January 28: Blainville-Boisbriand 1 Sherbrooke 5
- November 27th: Blainville-Boisbriand 1 Sherbrooke 2
PREDICTION OF PROTOCOL*
► Sherbrooke in 4 games
DRUMMONDVILLE VOLTIGEURS c. VICTORIAVILLE TIGER
DRUMMONDILLE VOLTIGEURE
Top Scorer
- xavier cont
- 66 PY | 22B | 41A | 63 points
VICTORIAVILLE TIGER
Top Scorer
Archive photo, Didier Debusschère
Maxim Pellerin
- maxim Pellerin
- 68 PY | 40B | 46A | 86 points
THE LAST FACE TO FACE
- March 22: Victoriaville 0 Drummondville 4
- 8th of March : Drummondville 1 Victoriaville 3
- February 26: Drummondville 3 Victoriaville 1
PREDICTION OF PROTOCOL*
► Victoriaville in 5 games
SHAWINIGAN CATARACTS c. ROUYN NORANDA HUSKIES
SHAWINIGAN CATARACTS
Top Scorer
- Stephane idiot son
- 60 PJ | 22B | 38A | 60 points
ROUYN NORANDA HUSKIES
Top Scorer
Archive photo, Didier Debusschère
Tristan Allard
- Tristan Allard
- 68 PY | 27B | 50A | 57 points
THE LAST FACE TO FACE
- December 16: Shawinigan 1 Rouyn-Noranda 2
- 11th December: Rouyn-Noranda 5 Shawinigan 3
- 11/11: Shawinigan 6 Rouyn-Noranda 1
PREDICTION OF PROTOCOL*
► Rouyn-Noranda in 6 games
* Predictions were made by journalist Kevin Dubé.