Cataractes, Huskies to meet in powerhouse final series
The final of the 2016 President’s Cup playoffs will begin this Wednesday at 7pm at the IAMGOLD Arena in Rouyn-Noranda between top two teams in the QMJHL: the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and the Shawinigan Cataractes.
On one side, the Huskies have eliminated the Drummondville Voltigeurs, the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and the Moncton Wildcats, respectively in 4, 5 and 6 matches, scoring 67 goals and giving up a small total of 19 in 15 games, an average of 1.27 goals per game.
On the other, the Cataractes won their series against the Sherbrooke Phoenix (5), the Charlottetown Islanders (6) and the Saint John Sea Dogs (5), during which they hit the target 77 times ( 4.81 goals per game), while conceding just 44.
This season, the Huskies emerged victorious in three of four games between the two teams. On September 27, the Huskies had inflicted a first defeat to the Cataractes in six regular season games by winning 6-1 at Gervais Auto Centre. The Cats got their revenge on October 9th in an offensive match. Dennis Yan, Alexis D’Aoust, and Anthony Beauvillier all got 5 points and allowed their team to win 8-7 in overtime. The Huskies, however, had the upper hand in the last two games of the season, triumphing respectively by 5-4 and 6-2 scores in overtime on Dec. 11 and March 13 at the IAMGOLD Arena.
Ranked # 1 in the country, the Huskies are a real power in this league, who finished 20 points over the Cataractes at the end of the regular season.
“We are aware that this is the best team in the league. It is well balanced and good in all positions. From our side, we had a good journey in the series. We played to our strengths. We respect our opponents, but we know that in the final, everything is possible, ” argued the head coach of the Cataractes, Claude Bouchard.
For the boss of the Cats, it is important to keep the same recipe that allowed them to travel to the QMJHL finals for the first time since the 2008-2009 season.
“We continue to focus on the process, as we do from the beginning. We cannot control the outcome. I shared my experience to the players, and we’re thinking about winning the Memorial Cup. In the first round against Sherbrooke, it was a little more difficult. The guys were nervous and there was the expectations of the first round. Subsequently, nervousness fell and we won. We have seen the true Cataractes. We played well and we scored goals. We cannot begin to change anything in the final, “said Bouchard, who raised the trophy as head coach in 2001.
Here is the schedule for the best-of-seven series:
Game 1 – Wednesday, May 4th | 7:00 | Shawinigan @ Rouyn-Noranda
Game 2 – Friday, May 6th | 7:00 | Shawinigan @ Rouyn-Noranda
Game 3 – Sunday, May 8th | 7:00 | Rouyn-Noranda @ Shawinigan
Game 4 – Monday, May 9th | 7:00 | Rouyn-Noranda @ Shawinigan
Game 5 – Wednesday, May 11th | 7:00 | * Shawinigan @ Rouyn-Noranda
Game 6 – Friday, May 13th | TBD | * Rouyn-Noranda @ Shawinigan
Game 7 – Sunday, May 15th | TBD | * Shawinigan @ Rouyn-Noranda
TBD(to be determined)
*If necessary
