Moncton, Chicoutimi and Rouyn-Noranda are all heading to the semifinals after sweeping their second round series.
Just like that, only five teams remain in it to win the Gilles-Courteau trophy in 2026.
The top three seeds of these playoffs, Moncton, Chicoutimi and Rouyn-Noranda all entered Wednesday night's games with a chance to sweep, and each of them won on the road to advance to the semifinals.
Here's how each team did it.
Chicoutimi (5) - Quebec (0)
Chicoutimi celebrates a goal with a bench fly by. (Photo: Jonathan Roy)The Saguenéens dominant playoff run chugs along.
This 5-0 win against the Remparts completed the sweep of round two, and it was basically never in doubt.
Through eight playoff games now, Chicoutimi is 8-0, up 39-6 in goals, have the top power play (a ridiculous 41.7%), and are top in nearly every other category imaginable.
They have so much talent and quality at every spot on the roster, from offensive firepower, to a deep and versatile defense corps, to Lucas Beckman's .962 save percentage in eight starts.
This win got a couple more players on the board, including the first of the playoffs for Alexis Toussaint and Thomas Desruisseaux. Emile Guite had a pair of goals in the third, while Tomas Lavoie opened the scoring.
Beckman stopped 20 shots, more than the 12 he faced last game, to pick up his second consecutive shutout. He still hasn't allowed more than one goal in a game all postseason.
With the win, the Sags take on Rouyn-Noranda in the third round, who will be just as rested as them with both teams completing their sweeps on Wednesday.
Rouyn-Noranda (4) - Shawinigan (2)
Eliot Ogonowski and Benjamin Brunelle celebrate the former's goal with goalie Samuel Meloche. (Photo: Vincent Létourneau)While this series was also a sweep, it was much closer than the Sags/Remparts series.
Shawinigan just seemed a half step behind at all times, while Rouyn-Noranda's big guys showed up when it mattered.
On Wednesday, it was. William Vezina, Eliot Ogonowski and Benjamin Brunelle who stepped up offensively, with each of them posting multi-goal nights.
Samuel Meloche was also huge, especially in the third as the Catatractes ramped up the pressure with their season on the line.
All of this, plus a late Thomas Verdon empty netter to put it away, culminates in a game four that emulates the series pretty well. The Huskies were just a bit better in every category, and were able to close it out in the end.
Rouyn-Noranda will be thrilled to get this one wrapped up early, avoiding the same scare as they faced in round one where they were unable to finish off Gatineau until game seven.
Now, they get to sit back for a few days before travelling to Chicoutimi to face a much stiffer test.
Moncton (4) - Val-d'Or (1)
The wildcats showed their skill and depth once again in this one, finishing off the three-for-three run for top seeds in sweep night on Wednesday.
Alex Mercier scored early, Caleb Desnoyers and Gabe Smith added to the lead in the second, and despite a Louis-Charles Plourde tally early in the third, Rudy Guimond shut the door the rest of the way and Teddy Mutryn put the game away with an empty netter.
This series was never really close, as the Foreurs could never get their offence and defence going at the same time to really put any fear into this experienced Wildcats group.
Meanwhile, Moncton continues to show why they're such a well-oiled machine. Smith's goal gives him five in the last two games and nine in eight total playoff appearances this year, which leads the league.
Their 88.9% penalty kill is fantastic, and while their power play isn't at Saguenéens levels, it's running at a respectable 24.1% so far.
The Wildcats don't yet know who they'll be facing in the semifinal, as they await the winner of Blainville-Boisbriand and Newfoundland, but they'll be able to sit back and rest up while their opponent will go to at least game six.
Next Game: Friday, April 17, 2026
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