QMJHL final set to start in Moncton: ‘It’s pretty special’

The Moncton Wildcats are hoping to continue their success in the QMJHL playoffs.

For the first time since 2010, the Moncton Wildcats will host a Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League championship game.

The Wildcats play the Rimouski Oceanic Saturday and Sunday night at the Avenir Centre for the Gilles-Courteau Trophy but there’s little on the line other than bragging rights. Rimouski is the host team for this year’s Memorial Cup, so both the winner and the loser of the best of seven series will advance to the four-team national championship.

Wildcats Head Coach Gardiner MacDougall said it’s not hard to motivate his players because winning the championship is a big deal to everyone.

“I think there’s a lot of pride in both teams, I’m sure. You work this hard; you know this is only the third time the Moncton Wildcat organization has had this opportunity. It’s pretty special,” said MacDougall.

Special would be an understatement to describe Moncton’s season. After finishing first overall in the QMJHL and being ranked as the top team in the Canadian Hockey League, the Wildcats have gone an impressive 12-1 through the first three rounds of the playoffs. The team hasn’t played since April 30, when they swept the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in four straight.

Rimouski had a more difficult time. They defeated Shawinigan in double overtime of Game 7 to secure their spot in the championship series.

“They have lots of momentum,” MacDougall said. He said his team is well-rested but it could go either way. The teams split their two games this season with the road team winning both times so MacDougall thinks fans will see some great hockey.

“They’re a very good opponent,” he said. “We’ve had two really good games. We weren’t probably as good as we wanted to be when we played them here, we’ll have to be a lot better than that game. And we had one of our best games of the regular season in playing up there.”

MacDougall said winning the QMJHL championship could give his team a boost before the Memorial Cup but nothing is certain.

“You can ask me when the series is over,” said MacDougall. “I think this group is focused right now on being the best we can for the first shift in the opening game,” he said.

Home Cooking

There are a total of seven players from the Greater Moncton area on the roster of both teams, four with the Wildcats and three with the Oceanic.

The series could have featured a head-to-head matchup of the Gill brothers from Riverview, but Spencer is out with an injury.

Spencer and Dyllan Gill did play against each other in Moncton during the regular season and the two have faced each other before in the QMJHL.

“It was pretty special when Dyllan and Spencer got to play against one another here in a game in January when we played one another here,” said MacDougall. “I’m sure his recovery is going well and hopefully he’ll be part of their Memorial Cup. We’re glad that Dyllan is with us. He’s been a difference maker for us.”

Game 1 is Saturday at 5 p.m. followed by Game 2 at 7 p.m.

“It’ll be a Mother’s Day special,” said MacDougall.

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