2024 QMJHL Playoffs | Voltigeurs vs. Phoenix Preview
While one team aims to continue its season of redemption, the other will enter Round 2 in the same underdog role it has relished over the past few months. It’s the regional rivalry between the Drummondville Voltigeurs and Sherbrooke Phoenix and it all gets underway Friday night in Drummondville as the curtain lifts on round two of the 2024 Gilles-Courteau Trophy Playoffs.
The Voltigeurs have been in peak form all year long. That hasn’t changed in the playoffs following a convincing four-game sweep of the Saint John Sea Dogs. 2023 Tampa Bay Lightning draftee Ethan Gauthier made the first round his personal playground, tying Peter Repcik for the team lead with eight points while depositing two game-winners against the Dogs. Overall, seven players reached point-per-game figures for a Drummondville squad that pumped in 26 first-round goals after leading the league offensively during the regular season. The backend was led in all three zones by mid-season acquisition Vsevolod Komarov, while rookie Yan Gaudreau was one of many who made up for the loss of Arizona first-rounder Mavric Lamoureux with an impressive +6 rating. In net Riley Mercer remained his steady self with a 2.00 GAA and .921% save percentage.
Entering the second round, rust is more of an issue throughout the league rather than fatigue. The Phoenix will have nothing to shake off after downing the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in seven games, the only first-round encounter in the Q to extend beyond five games. Like much of the regular season in Sherbrooke, it was victories of the grinding type that brought the club into the second round for the third straight Spring. Andrew Belchamber and Olivier Dubois brought veteran presence – and a combined 15 points – to a lineup missing leading scorer Israël Mianscum, while rookies Lewis Gendron and Mavrick Lachance offered up key moments as well, particularly on the power play. On the backend, Louis-Alex Tremblay and Etienne Tremblay-Mathieu stepped into a key two-way role, the latter netting the OT-winner in the series opener. Samuel St-Hilaire had his ups and downs during the series before allowing just one goal in a Game 7 triumph. Jacob Brochu was reliable when called upon in relief.
The Voltigeurs earned a 5-2 edge in the season series between these two Central Division foes. Their last meeting occurred in Drummondville on March 19, a 5-2 win for the home side. Sherbrooke had captured a 5-3 victory in Drummondville on March 3. This is the second straight year these clubs face off in the Quarter-Finals, the Phoenix sweeping the Volts in four straight last spring. Their only other meeting took place in 2019, when Drummondville came out on top four games to one in yet another Quarter-Final clash.
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Team Comparison (Reg. Season):
Drummondville | Sherbrooke | |
Record | 48-14-5-1 — 102 Pts | 32-30-1-5 — 70 Pts |
Division Ranking | 1st Central | 3rd Central |
League Ranking | 2nd | 10th |
GF | 306 (1st) | 215 (11th) |
GA | 183 (2nd) | 239 (12th) |
PP (Overall) | 26.6% (2nd) | 24.2% (9th) |
PK (Overall) | 81.2% (T-3rd) | 78.1% (10th) |
Leading Rookie (PTS) | Poulin (3-11-14) | Lachance (27-22-49) |
Leading Scorers (PTS) | Gauthier (36-35-71) | Mianscum (35-52-87) |
Oliver (35-36-71) | Belchamber (23-34-57) | |
Komarov (14-55-69) | Lachance (27-22-49) | |
Côté (32-35-67) | Primeau (22-25-47) | |
Woodworth (21-41-62) | Dubois (21-26-47) |