2024 Road to Memorial Cup: QMJHL Round 3 preview

We’re down to the Final Four in the QMJHL.

After a re-seeding at the conclusion of the second round, the no. 1 seeded Drakkar will take on the fourth seeded Eagles. On the other side, Drummondville, the no. 1 team in the West, will face third seeded Victoriaville.

Eastern Conference

(1) Baie-Comeau vs. (4) Cape Breton

For the second time this postseason, the Drakkar needed the minimum four games to advance past Acadie-Bathurst.

However, they had to earn it the hard way in Round 2 as they needed overtime winners on the road from 2024 NHL Draft prospects Raoul Boilard and Justin Poirier to win Game’s 3 and 4. In fact, all four games were decided by a single goal (Baie-Comeau scored into an empty-net in Game 2).

Poirier’s 10 goals are tied for the second most in the QMJHL this postseason while Justin Gill (NYI) sits fifth in scoring with 15 points.

Of the teams to advance to the second round, the Drakkar’s 18 goals against are the fewest in the Q as Charles-Edward Gravel owns a 2.13 GAA and .910 save percentage.

Baie-Comeau swept past Charlottetown in the first round.

This year marks the fifth time the Drakkar have reached the third round of the QMJHL Playoffs and their first time since 2014 when they lost the second of back-to-back QMJHL Finals.

Cape Breton made quick work of Chicoutimi in the second round as they too completed a four-game sweep.

Jacob Newcombe and Nicolas Ruccia stole the headlines offensively and defensively; Newcombe tallied 10 points (six goals) in the series that included a Game 3 hat-trick and a six-point effort in Game 4. Ruccia recorded shutouts in Game’s 1 and 2 and registered a .937 save percentage and 1.75 GAA in the series.

Cam Squires (NJ) sits second in Q postseason scoring with 17 points while Ruccia’s 2.12 GAA is the best among all goaltenders.

Cape Breton took out Rimouski in five games in the first round.

The Eagles return to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2007, and for just the third time in franchise history. They’ve yet to win a QMJHL title.

Series schedule:

Game 1 — April 25 — CAP @ BAC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 2 — April 26 — CAP @ BAC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 3 — April 29 — BAC @ CAP — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 4 — April 30 — BAC @ CAP — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 5* — May 2 — CAP @ BAC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 6* — May 4 — BAC @ CAP — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 7* — May 7 — CAP @ BAC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
*if necessary

Western Conference

(1) Drummondville vs. (3) Victoriaville

The Voltigeurs are into the third round for the first time in five years after a six-game series win over Sherbrooke.

Drummondville built a 3-0 series lead before they dropped back-to-back games but were able to advance after a 6-1 win in Game 6.

Ethan Gauthier (TB) had 10 points (six goals) in the series and leads the QMJHL in postseason scoring with 18 points. Captain Luke Woodworth tallied seven points against Sherbrooke that included a Game 1 hat-trick.

In goal, Riley Mercer owns a 2.21 GAA this postseason, the third best among QMJHL goalies, while his .916 save percentage ranks fourth.

Drummondville swept Saint John in Round 1 and their 52 goals this postseason leads all QMJHL teams.

The Volts have lifted the Gilles-Courteau Trophy once (2009) while this is their fifth appearance in the Conference Finals.

Victoriaville reached the third round after a five-game series win over no. 2 seeded Rouyn-Noranda.

The Tigres took control with a pair of road wins in Game’s 1 and 2, and despite a Game 3 defeat, advanced after another pair of back-to-back wins.

Victoriaville scored 27 goals in the series led by Maxime Pellerin who had seven goals and 10 points while four other skaters each tallied seven points. Pellerin’s 16 points are the third most in the Q.

Nathan Darveau, the CHL goaltender of the year in 2022-23, is 8-1-0 this postseason with a 2.65 GAA.

The Tigres swept Shawinigan in the first round as they seek a second QMJHL title in four years after they were victorious in 2021.

Series schedule:

Game 1 — April 26 — VIC @ DRU — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 2 — April 27 — VIC @ DRU — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 3 — April 30 — DRU @ VIC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 4 — May 1 — DRU @ VIC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 5* — May 3 — VIC @ DRU — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 6* — May 5 — DRU @ VIC — 4pm ET / 1pm PT
Game 7* — May 7 — VIC @ DRU — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
*if necessary

Watch live on CHL TV

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