Moncton, Blainville-Boisbriand, Rouyn-Noranda and Chicoutimi all picked up pivotal home victories in their respective series.
The second round of the 2026 QMJHL playoffs really got into full swing on Friday, with all four series in action.
It was a good night to be a home team, with all four hosts winning, though they all needed to do so in comeback fashion.
Here's all the action from Friday's games.
Shawinigan (3) - Rouyn-Noranda (8)
Huskies captain Axel Dufresne gets body positioning on Cataractes forward Vince Elie. (Photo: Jean Lapointe)This one was much closer than the score suggests, with a bevy of late Huskies goals (including two empty netters) running up the numbers in what was actually a very tight contest.
It was visiting Shawinigan who got off the mark hot, with Chad Lygitsakos and Mathieu Plante scoring in the first to give them a 2-0 lead.
Rouyn-Noranda would push back into the game in the second, including a much-needed goal from Lars Steiner to get them going. But still, Shawinigan held a 3-2 lead heading into the final period of play.
That was where the game got out of hand. The Huskies took the lead with two early goals, found an insurance marker just past the halfway mark, and then piled on three more late ones to put the game away for good.
Thomas Verdon of course led the way scoring wise, putting up three assists. Samuel Meloche made 20 saces, including all seven in the third, to pick up a key game one victory for his team.
Newfoundland (3) - Blainville-Boisbriand (5)
For a moment in that second period, it felt like deja vu for the Armada.
Heading into the period tied 1-1, it was Newfoundland who scored twice to take a 3-1 lead, and it looked like they could head to their three straight home games with a commanding 2-0 series lead.
But, the Blainville offence woke up, and they stormed back late in the period to take the lead heading into the third.
There, the back end and William Lacelle shut it down, and Vincent Collard put the game away with an empty netter, giving the hosts a much-needed home victory in Friday's lone game two.
The Regiment shouldn't feel too beat up at the loss, given they already succeeded in getting the split, but it'll sting not being able to really take a stranglehold of the series.
Quebec (1) - Chicoutimi (3)
It's rare to see the Saguenéens vulnerable at all, but the Remparts played a very good game one road performance through two.
They kept the game low scoring and low event, with the score knotted at one apiece and the shots just 13-11 in Chicoutimi's favour after two.
But, it's hard to hold the firepower of the Sags quiet for a whole game. Anton Linde scored the game-winner in the third, and Mavrick Lachance put the game away into an empty net.
Still, Quebec definitely has the blueprint here, and will look to keep the games quiet if they're to get anything from this series.
They'll also need to figure out how to beat Lucas Beckman, who has still yet to allow more than one goal in a single game so far these playoffs.
Val-d'Or (1) - Moncton (8)
The Foreurs got on the board first early on, but the game slipped away from them pretty quickly.
Instead, the Wildcats showed exactly why they're the top seed with an eight-goal performance, including multiple goals from Teddy Mutryn and Tommy Bleyl.
It was a big second period where Moncton really pulled away, with four goals including two in the final 90 seconds of the period.
Val-d'Or is in for a tough series after upsetting Drummondville, and will need to figure out both how to shut down this deep Wildcats team as well as get their own offence going.
Tonight's Games
Shawinigan (0) at Rouyn-Noranda (1) - 4 PM EDT
Val-d'Or (0) at Moncton (1) - 6 PM EDT
Quebec (0) at Chicoutimi (1) - 7 PM EDT
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