Tuesday's game seven triple header saw three teams' seasons come to an end, and three more advancing to round two.
The first round of the QMJHL playoffs concluded on Tuesday, with three teams winning their respective game seven and moving on to the second round.
With the league re-seeding for the second round, we finally know each of the four matchups that will shape the quarterfinal round of the postseason.
But first, let's look back at how we got there on what maybe wasn't a wild night, but surely a decisive one.
Sherbrooke (1) - Shawinigan (6)
Shawinigan blueliner Mathieu Plante and Sherbrooke captain Olivier Dubois in the handshake line following the Cataractes' game seven win. (Photo: Vincent Létourneau)Finally, the home team won a game.
And for the Cataractes, it was the most important win of the season. While this series went back and forth, game seven was a one-sided affair, with the hosts stepping on the gas early and putting the game out of reach in the second period.
Two more goals in the third saw them walk away to a 6-1 win, and onto a second-round matchup with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
Mathieu Plante was a monster in this one, putting up three assists from the back end alongside a plus-5 rating. Felix Lacerte had two goals, while Jiri Klima had a goal and an assist. Mathys Fernandez got plenty of goal support, but held up his end of the bargain as well with a 25-save performance.
Quebec (1) - Charlottetown (0)
It's not easy to shut down this star-studded Islanders offence. But, on the road needing to win both games six and seven, the Quebec Remparts and Patrick Deniger managed to do just that.
Xavier Lebel's goal at the 16:20 mark of the opening frame stood as the only marker in this one, as the Remparts really stifled any Charlottetown attack, especially in the opening two periods.
After having just 10 shots on goal at the end of the second period, they mustered up 12 in the third needing a goal to save their season, but couldn't solve the 17-year-old netminder Deniger.
Quebec is the second-lowest seed remaining in the playoffs, and that means a date with the dynamic Chicoutimi Saguenéens in the second round.
Gatineau (0) - Rouyn-Noranda (5)
The miracle just wasn't meant to be for the Olympiques.
On the Huskies' end, it certainly wasn't as pretty as they imagined, but they're through to the second round. After really struggling to get the offence going in games 4-6, they found five goals in game seven, and got a shutout from Samuel Meloche.
Benjamin Brunelle played the hero in this one, scoring a hat trick, while Thomas Verdon and Eliot Ogonowski also found the back of the net.
Rouyn-Noranda will feel fortunate that their round two opponents also went to a game seven, as they won't be any less rested than Shawinigan waiting on the other side.
Next Games
The second round is a go starting Thursday, with the full schedule for every series becoming available on Wednesday. The matchups will be as followed, with the corresponding number with each team representing their position in the league table, and thus their seed for the rest of the playoffs.
(1) Moncton vs (13) Val-d'Or
(2) Chicoutimi vs (9) Quebec
(3) Rouyn-Noranda vs (7) Shawinigan
(4) Blainville-Boisbriand vs (6) Newfoundland
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