For the first time in fifteen years, the QMJHL playoff championship is headed back to Southeastern New Brunswick. Thanks to a dominant second-period performance, the Moncton Wildcats held on to defeat the Rimouski Océanic 3-2 in game six of the 2025 Gilles-Courteau Trophy Final.
With the win, the Cats take the championship series four games to two. This marks the third league title for the Wildcats in franchise history, following championships in 2006 and 2010.
Caleb Desnoyers was awarded the Guy-Lafleur Trophy as playoff MVP. In 19 games, the 18-year-old from St-Hyacinthe, Quebec recorded 30 points to finish second in the league in postseason scoring. He becomes the first player to earn the accolade in his draft-eligible season since Jonathan Drouin won it with the Halifax Mooseheads in 2012.
Gabe Smith, with a pair, and Loke Johansson scored for the Wildcats in game six, who received a stellar 24-save effort from goaltender Mathis Rousseau. Jonathan Fauchon and Jacob Mathieu countered for the Océanic, while Mathis Langevin stopped 30 shots.
The first period featured a handful off chances at each end but no goals to report. Rimouski held a 10-7 shot advantage and only the play of Rousseau, including a fantastic stop on Mathieu Cataford in the final minutes, allowed this to become the first scoreless period in regulation during the championship series.
The middle frame was all visitors however, with Moncton holding a 19-7 lead in shots and a 3-0 advantage on the scoreboard after 40 minutes. Moncton broke the scoreless deadlock at the 6:30 mark as the Cats emerged with a three-on-one. Alex Mercier’s initial shot was stopped by the pad of Langevin but Smith was on the doorstep to stuff the rebound home for his first tally in 15 games.
The Cats would double their lead at 8:11. Following a big save by Rousseau, Moncton carried the play up ice where Sumpf slid the puck up to Johansson whose wrister from the line found its way through a screen for his second of the playoffs. Smith would continue to make up for lost time, tipping a Dyllan Gill point shot past Langevin for his second of the afternoon and sixth of the postseason to make it 3-0 at the 17:46 mark.
The Océanic mounted a formidable comeback in the third, outshooting the Wildcats 9-7. The home side found the scoreboard for the first time at 7:11. Off a scramble during an offensive zone draw, Fauchon corralled the puck in traffic and rifled a quick wrister over Rousseau’s far shoulder for his seventh of the postseason. Rimouski struck again on the power play at 11:32 as Mathieu’s shot from the rear left faceoff circle found its way through a screen and squeaked under Rousseau’s arm for his league-leading 17th of the playoffs.
That’s as close as the Océanic would get as Moncton shut the door defensively the rest of the way.
Both teams now prepare for the 2025 Memorial Cup. The host Océanic get things underway on Friday night when they face the WHL Champion Medicine Hat Tigers at 7pm ET/8pm AT. The QMJHL Champion Wildcats begin their quest on Saturday night at 6pm ET/7pm AT when they battle the OHL Champion London Knights. All games will be available via TSN and RDS.
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