2023 QMJHL Playoffs | Gatineau and Quebec ready for hard-fought battle
The Gilles-Courteau Trophy playoffs have reached the semifinals and the number one seed Quebec Remparts will play host to the number four ranked Gatineau Olympiques. The best-of-seven series will commence on this Friday, April 28, at the Videotron Centre.
En route to their semifinal berth, the Remparts made quick work of the Charlottetown Islanders in four games and followed up with a consecutive sweep of the Rimouski Oceanic in the second round.
Leading the offensive charge for the Remparts is centreman Justin Robidas, a Carolina Hurricanes fifth round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, who picked up four goals and 15 points along the way. Nathan Gaucher, the Anaheim Ducks 2022 first rounder was also a force through the second round, holding a 1.25 point-per-game average. Considering they’ve only played eight games so far, the Remparts depth has paid off with ten players having picked up at least five points in this year’s run. William Rousseau has been a brick wall in goal for Quebec, as the netminder has won each of his eight starts, maintaining a pristine 1.60 GAA and .930 SV%, to go along with one shutout.
This marks the second consecutive season in which head coach Patrick Roy and his squad have reached the third round of the playoffs, the club falling to the eventual champion Shawinigan Cataractes last year.
Photo : Jonathan Roy
Gatineau’s ride to the third round features a stellar playoff record of 8-1, with the club’s only loss coming at the hands of the Saint John Sea Dogs in the opening round. Following their five-game series victory, the Olympiques continued to dominate, knocking out the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies with a four-game sweep. The Olympiques’ current run can be identified by their consistent offensive output, and their elite defensive play.
Playoff scoring leader and St-Louis Blues prospect Zachary Dean has been a main reason for the Olympiques’ offensive success. The forward has racked up an impressive 23 points in nine games, including nine goals. As for Philadelphia Flyers draft pick Alexis Gendron, he currently leads the playoffs in goals (12), shots (53), and game-winners (3). Gatineau also continues to receive strong two-way defensive play from its blueliners, as Defenseman of the Year Tristan Luneau and veteran Isaac Belliveau are respectively above and near point-per-game status. Manning the crease, mid-season acquisition Francesco Lapenna continues his MVP-caliber play, sporting an impeccable 1.00 GAA, a .963 SV% and four shutouts.
This year marks the first time the Olympiques have advanced to the third round since 2011, where they lost in the finals to Saint John. Olympiques’ head coach Louis Robitaille is looking to reach the finals for the first time of his career after falling in the third round of the 2018 Playoffs with his previous team, the Victoriaville Tigres.
These two teams went head-to-head five times in the regular season, with two contests requiring overtime and Quebec taking the series three wins to two. The two teams have not faced each other in the postseason since 2016, when the Olympiques skated away with a first-round sweep.
Opportunities arise on both sides of the puck, as the Olympiques look to hand the Remparts their first loss of the postseason, while Quebec looks to end its 46-year drought without a league title.
This series has all the makings of a true nail-biter!
