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2025 QMJHL Semi-Finals Preview: Shawinigan Cataractes vs Rimouski Océanic cover image

2025 QMJHL Semi-Finals Preview: Shawinigan Cataractes vs Rimouski Océanic

Apr 25, 2025

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Apr 25, 2025

Rimouski's Mael Lavigne pressuring Shawinigan's Louis-Philippe Fontaine (Photo: Vincent Letourneau)

Rimouski's Mael Lavigne pressuring Shawinigan's Louis-Philippe Fontaine (Photo: Vincent Letourneau)

The other matchup of the 2025 QMJHL semi-finals is set to start tonight, where the No. 2 Rimouski Océanic, who hold the hosting rights for the Memorial Cup, will take on the No. 4 Shawinigan Cataractes.

Despite being the better team on paper, the Rimouski Océanic have been no match for the Cataractes this season, losing three of four games with a goal differential of 9-23 favouring Shawinigan.

Schedule

Game 1: @ Rimouski - Tonight at 7 PM ET

Game 2: @ Rimouski - 2025/04/27 at 3 PM ET

Game 3: @ Shawinigan - 2025/04/29 at 7 PM ET

Game 4: @ Shawinigan - 2025/04/30 at 7 PM ET

Game 5: @ Rimouski - 2025/05/02 at 6 PM ET*

Game 6: @ Shawinigan - 2025/05/04 at 4 PM ET*

Game 7: @ Rimouski - 2025/05/06 at 7 PM ET*

* if necessary

Prediction: Shawinigan in 6

The Under-18 World Championships have kicked off yesterday in Texas, with a number of QMJHL players participating. Ahead of the main tournament, three teams -- Team Canada, Germany and Sweden -- participated in a stretch of pre-tournament play. These two games featured three QMJHL stars, including one 2025 NHL draft eligibles in Halifax's Liam Kilfoil and two 2026 NHL draft eligibles in Blainville's Xavier Villeneuve and Saint John's Camerond Chartrand, all for Team Canada.

thehockeynews.comThree QMJHL Players Featured On Canada's Pre-Tournament Roster At Under-18's The Under-18 World Championships have kicked off yesterday in Texas, with a number of QMJHL players participating. Ahead of the main tournament, three teams -- Team Canada, Germany and Sweden -- participated in a stretch of pre-tournament play. These two games featured three QMJHL stars, including one 2025 NHL draft eligibles in Halifax's Liam Kilfoil and two 2026 NHL draft eligibles in Blainville's Xavier Villeneuve and Saint John's Camerond Chartrand, all for Team Canada.

Océanic's Players To Watch

Overagers

C Jonathan Fauchon

LW Jacob Mathieu

D Pier-Olivier Roy

Other players to watch

LW Alexandre Blais (Anaheim Ducks)

RW Mathieu Cataford (Vegas Golden Knights)

C Mael Lavigne

RW Maxime Coursol

LW Eriks Mateiko (Washington Capitals)

C Mael St-Denis

LW Dominic Pilote

D Spencer GIll (Philadelphia Flyers)

D Luke Coughlin (Florida Panthers)

D Luke Martin

D Basile Sansonnens (Vancouver Canucks)

Victoriaville Tigres defenseman Maddox Labre's season may have ended a lot sooner than anticipated as his team missed the playoffs, however his off-season has gotten off to a strong start -- snagging a commitment to Ohio State University.

thehockeynews.com2025 NHL Draft Prospect Labre Commits to NCAA's Ohio StateVictoriaville Tigres defenseman Maddox Labre's season may have ended a lot sooner than anticipated as his team missed the playoffs, however his off-season has gotten off to a strong start -- snagging a commitment to Ohio State University.

Cataractes' Players To Watch

2025 NHL draft prospect

C Cole Chandler

Overagers

RW Louis-Philippe Fontaine

LW Yoan Loshing

D Isaac Menard

Other players to watch

RW Matvei Gridin (Calgary Flames)

RW Felix Lacerte

C Vince Elie

D Jordan Tourigny

LW Jiri Klima

C Kody Dupuis

2024 Gatineau Olympiques first round pick, forward Maxim Dube, capped off a solid start to the his junior career -- scoring 15 points (5+10) across 56 games.

thehockeynews.comOlympiques' Rookie Dube Snags NCAA Commitment To Miami2024 Gatineau Olympiques first round pick, forward Maxim Dube, capped off a solid start to the his junior career -- scoring 15 points (5+10) across 56 games. 

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