QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Coming out of a grueling semi-final series against Quebec, where the Gatineau Olympiques, found themselves trailing 1-3 before winning the next three games to win the series, the team coached by Benoit Groulx, earned one of the last two place in the QMJHL final, facing the Saint John Sea Dogs beginning this Thursday.
Let’s take a look at the road taken by the two teams who will face each other in the QMJHL finals.
Saint John entered the 2010-11 playoffs as one of the four teams that got good chances to be part of the QMJHL final. The other teams were the Montreal Junior, the Quebec Remparts and the Drummondville Voltigeurs. None of the other three teams were successful in their attempts to find a way to go to the final. Instead the Gatineau Olympiques that are perceived as a long shot went to the QMJHL final.
The Montreal Junior ended the regular season in second place in the overall standing and won their first series in four straight games against Halifax Mooseheads before surprisingly losing against Lewiston MAINEiacs in quarter-final in six games.
Ending in third place overall, the Quebec Remparts swept the Val-d’Or Foreurs winning four straight games in first round. In the quarter-final, Patrick Roy’s team eliminated the Shawinigan Cataractes in seven games, after taking a 3-1 lead in their series. After winning game seven at home, they earned the right to face Gatineau Olympiques, and again, after taking a 3-1 lead, they unfortunately (for their fans) found themselves on a losing end, losing heartbreakingly on their own home against the Olympiques.
Considered fourth favorites to go to the QMJHL final, the Drummondville Voltigeurs needed only four games to toast aside the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in first round. In quarter-final, Gatineau eliminated the Voltigeurs in six games before facing Quebec in semi-final.
Saint John earned the right to be part of the QMJHL final by sweeping the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in four games in first round. In quarter-final, the Sea Dogs needed six games before eliminating the Victoriaville Tigres. And finally before being involves in the QMJHL final the latest in line was the Lewiston MAINEiacs being eliminated in four straight games.
So the QMJHL final will see two teams advocating two different philosophies.
Ending fifth in the overall standing, advocating a defensive system, The Gatineau Olympiques will possibly have to face the best challenge in this 2010-11 QMJHL playoff series: to find a way to stop the Saint John offense.
Being successful in their attempt to stop Quebec offensive, Gatineau will have to be able to count on every player’s effort to take up the challenge of stopping Saint John offense.
Besides Quebec the Olympiques put aside the Rimouski Oceanic in four games,
They get a chance to create another upset and the Olympiques will have to count on an efficient goaltender. Maxime Clermont who had been sent in the action after first two games in first round against Rimouski Oceanic, get the job done with 2.09 goals against average and .925 save percentage. The Montreal native will have to be counted on heavily between the pipes.
On defense the defensive pairing of Mathieu Gagnon and Nicolas Deslauriers, Hubert Labrie and Adam Janosik will also need to be at their best to face offensive players like Saint John forwards Jonathan Huberdeau (25 points in 13 games, 13 goals), Zack Phillips (22 points in 13 games, 8 goals), Stanislav Galiev (19 points in 13 games, 9 goals) and Tomas Jurco (16 points in 13 games, 6 goals) just to name a few.
Offensively the Olympiques will have to continue to count on offensive production of Jean-Gabriel Pageau (25 points in 18 games, 12 goals), Philip-Michael Devos (23 points in 18 games, 7 goals), Christian Ouellet (15 points in 18 games, 10 goals), Philippe Halley (15 points in 18 games, 7 goals).
Tommy Tremblay will continue to bring his physical presence trying to content the one on the opposing side who might be tempted to intimidate.
In goal, Saint John can count on two good goaltenders. Jacob DeSerres saw most of the action between the pipes showing a goal against average of 2.24 in 10 games combining a saving percentage of .911. Mathieu Corbeil-Theriault played only five games cumulating a G.A.A. 1.54 and .936 save percentage.
Defensively, the Sea Dogs are well represented with defensemen like Nathan Beaulieu (14 points in 13 games, 3 goals), Eric Gelinas (10 points in 13 games, 4 goals), Simon Despres (7 points in 13 games, 1 goal), Kevin Gagne (6 points in 13 games, 2 goals), Pierre Durepot (4 points in 13 games, 1 goal) and Gabriel Bouret (3 points in 13 games, 0 goal).
Offensively, Saint John leaders are Jonathan Huberdeau (25 points in 13 games, 13 goals). Zack Phillips (22 points in 13 games, 8 goals), Stanislav Galiev (19 points in 13 games, 9 goals), Tomas Jurco (16 points in 13 games, 6 goals), Michael Kirkpatrick (13 points in 10 games, 3 goals), Steven Anthony (12 points in 13 games, 5 goals) and Stephen MacAulay (7 points in 13 games, 4 goals).
Sea Dogs roles players, Mike Thomas, Scott Oke, Ryan Tessink, Danick Gauthier and Jason Cameron will have important task ahead of them, in trying to stop Gatineau most prominent offense.
Prediction: If Gatineau won the battle in the preceding round playing defensive system, (1-3-1) or sometimes even (1-4-1), against Quebec Remparts, and be successful, it will be very interesting to see how Benoit Groulx as the Olympiques head coach, will approach that series.
Offensive team should prevail, Saint John will wins in six.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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