CHL Coast to Coast: QMJHL’s best clash during Rivalry Week
Wednesday October 21, 2015
By Josh Sweetland/CHL
The QMJHL’s fiercest rivals go head-to-head throughout the league this week as Rivalry Week has arrived!
Several rivalry matchups feature head-to-head battles between some of the league’s top clubs including Sunday action between the first place Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and their nearby northern rival the Val-d’Or Foreurs. The second place Shawinigan Cataractes take on the Victoriaville Tigres who have won six straight while the CHL’s ninth ranked Drummondville Voltigeurs tangle with the Rimouski Oceanic who received an honourable mention this past week.
Arguably the league’s hottest team, the first place Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have been led by a strong attack from the blueline led by Boston Bruins prospect Jeremy Lauzon and Philadelphia Flyers signee Philippe Myers. Lauzon will join a trio of Huskies teammates in forwards Julien Nantel, Jean-Cristophe Beaudin and leading scorer Francis Perron in representing the QMJHL in the 2015 CHL Canada Russia Series that moves eastward on November 17th and 19th for games in Rouyn-Noranda and Halifax.
While the Huskies are on top of the league, Anthony Beauvillier’s Shawinigan Cataractes are winners of five straight entering the weekend as they continue to lead the East Division. While Beauvillier joins teammate Dennis Yan in leading the team up front, 17 year-old 2014 third overall QMJHL Draft pick Samuel Girard has turned heads on the blueline with two goals, 19 assists and 21 points in 13 games. Girard leads all QMJHL defencemen in scoring and continues to generate significant interest from NHL scouts in his draft year.
The aforementioned Victoriaville Tigres are surging with six straight wins as they try and keep pace with Shawinigan. A balanced scoring attack led by the emergence of rookie Maxime Comtois and sophomore Pascal Laberge has been aided by contributions from veterans Samuel Blais and Carl Marois. The Tigres will have their work cut out for them with a home-and-home set against Shawinigan looming on Friday and Sunday.
The Maritimes Division continues to be a wide open race. The Moncton Wildcats lead the way with a 9-4-1-0 record to start the season while the Saint John Sea Dogs and Charlottetown Islanders trail close behind. The QMJHL’s leading scorer in 2015, Conor Garland has picked up where he left off, recording 22 points (7-15–22) in an injury-shortened nine games. The Wildcats have also been paced by the emergence of twins Kevin and Kelly Klima who have both recorded over a point-per-game this season.
The Maritimes Division standings will undoubtedly see some shuffling this weekend with Moncton squaring off with the Halifax Mooseheads on Friday before a home-and-home set with the Saint John Sea Dogs. Meanwhile, the Charlottetown Islanders will face the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Thursday before back-to-back matchups with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Friday and Sunday.
Expect the physicality across the QMJHL to ramp up a notch this weekend as rivalries are renewed and the league’s early season contenders jostle for position atop the standings.
For more information visit theqmjhl.ca.