2011-12 QMJHL playoff preview part three

QUEBEC CITY , P.Q. — In the following, we will take a look at the last three series of 2011-12 QMJHL first round.
 
Moncton Wildcats (30-31-3-4 for 67 points) vs. the Halifax Mosseheads (39-22-2-5 for 85 points):
 
This series should be interesting to watch because it will give fans a chance to have a look on players they could see in the NHL, in near future. For one in goal, with a 2.77 goal against average the Wildcat netminder Roman Will ended the regular season as the 7^th best in the league with a save percentage of 0.913.
 
As rookie Zachary Fucale of Halifax ended as 12 best with 3.16 goals against average winning 32 times in 58 games played. Fucale ended regular season with 0.892 save percentage.
 
Players to watch offensively for Moncton are: Saulmier bothers, Alex Saulmier (83 points in 58 games, 31 goals), Alain Saulmier (79 points in 66 games, 30 goals), Marek Hrivik (70 points in 54 games, 29 goals), Patrick Delisle-Houde (44 points in 63 games, 15 goals).
 
Defensively: with the trade of Brandon Gormley to Shawinigan, James Melindy became the best defenseman on the Wildcats team with 27 points in 61 games, 9 goals. Patrick Downe 18 points in 58 games and Danick Emond after coming from Victoriaville with 17 points in 45 games, 2 with Moncton in 15 games since his arrival.  
 
In Halifax, beside MacKinnon, Alexandre Grenier (64 points in 64 games, 25 goals), Mathew Boudreau (56 points in 67 games, 26 goals), Darcy Ashley (55 points in 62 games, 23 goals) and Cameron Critchlow (50 points in 68 games, 21 goals) are the other players Moncton will have to try to contain if they want to get out of this series.
 
Prediction: Halifax in 6.
 
Val-d’Or Foreurs (31-32-0-5 for 67 points vs. Rimouski Oceanic (40-26-2-0 for 82 points) :
 
Another series promise to be interesting for fan to follow. It will be only the second times these two teams face each other. In 1998 Val-d’Or won the series in four straight games winning the President Cup. The Oceanic head coach Serge Beausoleil expects a long and tough series with first two games in Rimouski in a 2-3-2 format due to the distance between the two towns.
 
In an interview with French newspaper “the Sun” the Rimouski head coach Beausoleil said, “This team was the best performing team lately winning 7 games in their last 10 before the season ended. It wasn’t a team to take too lightly. They are very well coach, I expect the series to be a long one. We will have a tough opponent. There should be surprise in that series, but the 2-3-2 format disadvantages us we worked really hard to get the ice advantage but we will have live with that situation.”
 
Prediction: Rimouski at the end should prevail in 6 earning the right to play in second rounds.
 
Acadie-Bathurst Titan (32-31-2-3 for 69 points vs. Chicoutimi Sagueneens (35-24-3-6 for 79 points) :
 
An important piece of Chicoutimi puzzle will be absent to begin this series against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Needing crunches to walk Jean-Gabriel Pageau won’t be able to step on the ice with his teammates on Friday to begin the series.
 
Beside him everyone will answer the bell for the Sagueneens in a series expects to be interesting for fans in both cities. For Chicoutimi general manager Marc Fortier he is well aware is team has lots to prove in this first round. Playing two games over 500 with 6-4-0- 0 in their last 10 games losing last 2 games in regular season, the Sagueneens will have great challenge facing the Titan and need to begin the series on right foot with win at home.
 
As coach Marc-Etienne Hubert is well aware he will have to find a way to neutralize Titan best line with Zach O’Brien, (101 points), Sabastien Trudeau (95 points) and Mathieu Bissonnette (83 points).
 
At home Chicoutimi head coach will assign one unity of five players, and reevaluate the situation when the team will go to Bathurst.
 
In goal the battle will be interesting between Titan Robert Steeves and Christopher Gibson of Chicoutimi. Beside the first line previously mentioned, other players brings good contributions offensively for Acadie-Bathurst. Christophe Lalancette (47 points) Mirko Hoefflin (42 points) and Christophe Losier (35 points).
 
In Chicoutimi Guillaume Asselin (75 points in 68 games), Christian Ouellet (68 points in 68 games, 28 points in 28 games since his arrival from Gatineau), Charles Hudon (66 points in 58 games) will be heavily count on to produce offensively.
 
Prediction: Possibly the toughest one to predict, but at the end, Chicoutimi should win in 7.      
 
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com