The skill of Rouyn-Noranda will be in tough against the dominant Chicoutimi roster.
Both the Chicoutimi Saguenéens and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have had plenty of time to prepare for this series, as it was confirmed the night they both completed the sweep against one another.
Now, the two finally get to face off for this third round series on Friday, as Rouyn-Noranda will look to be the first team to take a game off of Chicoutimi these playoffs.
These two teams aren't built the exact same, but both host some of the top scorers in the QMJHL.
Rouyn-Noranda's Samuel Beauchemin and Chicoutimi's Liam Lefebvre line up for a draw. (Photo: Bruno Girard)What to expect from Chicoutimi
This team is the definition of a wagon.
If the first-round series where they outscored Halifax 24-4 in a sweep wasn't impressive enough, they followed that up with a second-round series where they outscored Quebec 15-2 in a sweep.
They still haven't allowed more than one goal in a single game so far this post-season, and Lucas Beckman posted back-to-back shutouts to close out round two.
This is just a dominant group from top to bottom, featuring elite scorers like league MVP Maxim Masse, captain Emmanuel Vermette, Emile Guite, Nathan Lecompte and more.
On defence, there are so many names that could be the best blueliner on at least half the league. Alexis Bernier, Tomas Lavoie and Jordan Tourigny were savvy deadline adds, while Peteris Bulans and Alex Huang were already key stalwarts on this team.
And of course, if you get shots through that group, Beckman has been an absolute wall since joining this Sags team during the holiday trade period.
The special teams in the postseason have been dominant as well. They're currently at a 41.7% on the power play through two games, and an 85.2% on the penalty kill.
If this Chicoutimi team just keeps rolling the way they have been the past few months, it's going to be tough for anyone to beat them.
What to expect from Rouyn-Noranda
This Huskies group has had a solid playoff run, and have now also been gifted the first overall pick in the 2026 draft via the Baie-Comeau Drakkar.
It wasn't as easy as they thought it would be in round one, as a defensive Gatineau side won games four, five and six to force a game seven and risk the reverse sweep.
Round two went smoother, as they dealt with Shawinigan in four games, though three of them were close contests.
Rouyn-Noranda is led by star Thomas Verdon, who leads the playoffs in scoring with 17 points, though he's played three more games than some other contenders.
Benjamin Brunelle, Eliot Ogonowski, Antoine St-Laurent and Samuel Beauchemin have all raised their games in the postseason as well, and rookie Jayden Pominville has had some good moments.
Samuel Meloche has been big in goal, and will need to be even bigger in this series if the Huskies want a chance at advancing.
Their power play is sitting at the third-best mark so far these playoffs at a 28.2% rate, but their penalty kill is only operating at 75%. It will be imperative to both not take penalties as well as clean up the PK if they're going to take down this Saguenéens team.
The other keys to winning this series will be a huge series from Meloche, continued dominance from the top line, and controlling possession.
Schedule
Game one: Friday, April 24, 7 PM EDT @ Chicoutimi
Game two: Saturday, April 25, 7 PM EDT @ Chicoutimi
Game three: Tuesday, April 28, 7 PM EDT @ Rouyn-Noranda
Game four: Wednesday, April 29, 7 PM EDT @ Rouyn-Noranda
Game five*: Friday, May 1, 7 PM EDT @ Chicoutimi
Game six*: Sunday, May 3, 4 PM EDT @ Rouyn-Noranda
Game seven*: Tuesday, 5, 7 PM EDT @ Chicoutimi
* = if necessary
Never want to miss out on any QMJHL news? Make sure to book mark THN's QMJHL site.
Also follow @roryyarthur on X/Twitter for more updates.