2025 QMJHL Playoffs | Wildcats vs. Huskies Preview

It’s a battle of cats and dogs with a berth in the 2025 Gilles-Courteau Trophy Final on the line. The Moncton Wildcats host the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, on Thursday, to kick of their best-of-seven QMJHL Semi-Final series.

The Wildcats waltzed through the first two rounds in a tidy nine games, thanks to a four-game sweep of the Quebec Remparts in round one and a five-game triumph over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the next. The centerpiece of the Cats attack remains Caleb Desnoyers, whose 12 points versus the Drakkar has vaulted him into the playoff scoring lead. Julius Sumpf holds the team lead in goals and Juraj Pekarcik’s double-overtime winner in Baie-Comeau to close out game four was arguably the most critical moment for Moncton in the postseason thus far. Gabe Smith has led by example with an impeccable two-way game while Etienne Morin has been a key powerplay weapon on the blue line. Incredibly, all eight Wildcats game-winners have come from different players, a testament to the club’s impressive depth. In net, Mathis Rousseau and Rudy Guimond continue to hold down the fort though Guimond’s game five triumph was the first time a Moncton netminder started back-to-back games this postseason. This is the first trip to the Semis for the Wildcats since 2016, when they were eliminated by these same Huskies. They’ll be aiming for a trip to the final for the first time since 2010.

The Huskies have also reached round three after just nine outings. Following a five-game first-round victory over the Gatineau Olympiques, Rouyn-Noranda proceeded to sweep the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quarters. Up front, the determined play of 2025 NHL Entry Draft prospect Bill Zonnon has him leading the club in goals and points, while the slick passing of overager Antonin Verreault has helped set the tone. Ty Higgins, whether patrolling his own blue line or carrying the puck into the opposition’s zone, has found himself at the center of several critical moments through two rounds of play, as has the always reliable Axel Dufresne. Samuel Beauchemin and Rémi Gelinas have come up big at key moments throughout the spring. Then there’s Benjamin Brunelle, who has scored five goals this postseason, four of which have proven to be game winners, including the series clincher in each of the first two rounds. Though not quite as busy as he was in round one, Samuel Meloche continues to make all the key saves, including a game two shutout against the Mooseheads. This will be Rouyn-Noranda’s first trip to the Semi-Finals since their Memorial Cup Championship campaign in 2019.

One of the most intriguing facts leading into what should be a marquee series is the fact that the Huskies were the only team to defeat the Wildcats twice this campaign; a 4-1 triumph in Moncton on December 7 and a 6-5 victory in Rouyn-Noranda on January 11. This will be the fourth time these two clubs have thrown paws in the postseason, the Huskies winning in the 2005 Quarter-Finals and 2016 Semi-Finals, both times in six games. The Wildcats eliminated Rouyn-Noranda in five games during the 2010 Quarter-Finals.

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Team Comparison (Regular Season):