QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — After going through every step of QMJHL playoff rounds, the 2011-12 President Cup final will see the Saint John Sea Dogs facing the Rimouski Oceanic.
Taking part in the President Cup final for the fourth time in the last 17 years the Oceanic came out of a very demanding semi-final needing seven games to eliminate Halifax Mooseheads. Before having to face Halifax, the team coached by Serge Beausoleil, began their journey to the Cup final by defeating Val-d’Or Foreurs in four straight games.
Needing only four games to eliminate Gatineau Olympiques in first round, the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada earned the right to face the Oceanic in quarterfinal. After grueling battle Rimouski came out on top earning the right to go to next round meeting the team coach by Dominique Ducharme in Halifax.
Winning their first two games, the Oceanic saw their young opponent coming back to win next two games tying the series 2-2. And finally after blowing out the Mooseheads team in game six 9-0, the Oceanic needed to draw all their energy to finally winning game seven in overtime 3-2, qualifying them for the QMJHL President Cup final.
Entering the QMJHL President Cup final as the underdogs, Rimouski won’t give up anything to their opponent.
Offensively: the Oceanic will be able to count on Alexandre Mallet 22 points in 17 games (9 goals), Alex Belzile 19 points in 17 games (6 goals), Petr Straka 19 points in 17 games (7 goals). Peter Trainor 16 points in 17 games (11 goals) as their main offensive forces.
On defense: first name to come to mind when you think about Oceanic defense is Jerome Gauthier-Leduc. Ranked as second best offensively 15 points in 17 games (8 goals), but Jean-Philippe Mathieu isn’t far behind being ranked as seventh best with 12 points in 17 games (2 goals). Ranked as twentieth best offensive defensemen Casey Babineau closed the ranking with 6 points in 17 games (1 goal). Pier-Luc Pelletier, Etienne Boutet, Ryan MacKinnon and Dale Deon completes Rimouski defensive unit.
In goal: Rimouski Jacob Gervais-Chouinard was the one been sent between Oceanic pipes to defend Rimouski cage. Showing a goal-against-average of 3.11 and save percentage of 0.888, Gervais-Chouinard will have to be vigilant and be sharp every night if his team will have a chance to beat the odds.
Saint John will take part of their third consecutive President Cup finals. Having loss in 2010 in Moncton against the Wildcats and win in 2011 against Gatineau, the Sea Dogs will face the Oceanic trying to become, for the second consecutive year the QMJHL champion and also the second teams to represents the QMJHL since the tournament is in Shawinigan and the Cataractes get an automatic place as the host team.
As the QMJHL regular season champion and losing their first game in current playoff only in Semi-final against Chicoutimi in overtime of game three, Saint John will begin the final as the favorites. The Sea Dogs swept respectively Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in first round, the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in quarterfinal before disposed Chicoutimi in five games with last three needing overtimes.
As Saint John head coach Gerard Gallant is perfectly aware his team won’t go to party in the final, his team will have to give all they have especially with one of their best player Jonathan Huberdeau being suspended for a hit from behind in preceding series.
The former Detroit Red Wings forward prefer to see his team shooting as often they can instead of counting on one star to do the job.
Being able to count on Charles Coyle 29 points in 13 games (14 goals), Zack Phillips 27 points in 13 games (7 goals), Stanislav Galiev 26 points in 13 games (12 goals), Tomas Jurco 19 points in 12 games and Jonathan Huberdeau out for first two games of QMJHL final (suspension) 18 points in 13 games (9 goals), Gallant would prefer to see all forwards bringing their offensive contribution.
Defensively: raking as third and fourth best defensemen since the playoff began Sea Dogs Kevin Gagne and Charles-Olivier Roussel will have to continue to produce offensively but will also be very good defensively. Ranked not far behind Nathan Beaulieu (sixth) will also be heavily count on to bring his beat hockey. Pierre Durepos, Jason Seed and Ian Saab complete the defensive brigade.
In goal: Mathieu Corbeil as of now did an excellent job even if some have their doubt. Ranked as second best goalie since the series began behind Alex Dubeau of Shawinigan Cataractes, Corbeil shows a goal-against-average of 2.31 and a save percentage of 0.914 making 328 saves having faced 359 shots.
Prediction: The President Cup final promise to be interesting. Even if lots of experts seems to preview Saint John to repeat as QMJHL champion, you can count on Rimouski head coach Serge Beausoleil to try to do everything in his power to fool all experts. As the Oceanic head coach said in main newspaper.
“We have to stop thinking of them as god. On paper they are better than us but I think we can cause a surprise.” Believe Jerome Gauthier Leduc to le Journal de Quebec before the series begins.
But at the end, even if the format of the series will be 2-3-2 with first two games in Saint John, Sea Dogs will prevail in six games over the Oceanic.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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