Latest news with #GillesCourteauTrophy
Ottawa Citizen
3 days ago
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Wildcats eliminated from Memorial Cup after 5-2 loss to Knights
The dream season for the Moncton Wildcats, one of promise and outstanding achievement, came to an emotional end after a 5-2 semifinal loss to the London Knights Friday at the Memorial Cup in Rimouski. Article content Article content London's Blake Montgomery and Jessi Nurmi scored 10 minutes apart in the final period to snap a 2-2 tie and the Knights' star forward Easton Cowan clinched the win with an empty net goal late as London advances to the championship Sunday against the Medicine Hat Tigers. Article content Article content For the Wildcats, it was oh so close. Article content Article content 'I am super proud of everyone on our team, the coaches down to the Black Aces who didn't play,' said Wildcats captain Markus Vidicek. 'We knew it was going to be a battle all night long. We threw punches, they threw punches but, in the end, they won a third period, and we didn't.' Article content The Cats set franchise records in many areas, including best winning percentage with a 53-11-2-0 mark in the regular season and captured their third QMJHL title with a victory over Rimouski to claim the Gilles Courteau Trophy on May 19. Article content The 16-3 playoff record was also a franchise best, exceeding the 16-5 slates the team recorded in winning the 2006 and 2010 QMJHL titles. Article content This season proved to be a mammoth improvement from the previous campaign in which lofty expectations were met with a devastating turn in a four-game opening-round playoff sweep to Chicoutimi. Article content Article content But this year was different, with new head coach Gardiner MacDougall behind the bench and new general manager Taylor MacDougall, his son, pulling the strings on numerous high quality player acquisitions to form a lineup that gelled almost from the get-go. Article content They were ranked No. 1 in the Canadian Hockey League many times during the year and after clinching the regular season title in March, they were even better in the post-season to earn a berth to their third Memorial Cup tournament. Article content 'It is gut wrenching because of the faith Mr. (Robert) Irving put in us,' said Wildcats head coach Gardiner MacDougall after Friday's loss. Article content 'When you don't win your last game, you are very disappointed as a coach, but the group came so far. You are representing a city, you are representing a province, you are representing our league. There is certainly disappointed feelings but the other part of it is you see the growth of the group and what a difference they made. They set new standards, and we just came a little short.'
Ottawa Citizen
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Moncton Wildcats' father-son magic
It's an embrace Gardiner and Taylor MacDougall will never forget. Article content Article content The Moncton Wildcats had just won the franchise's first Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) championship in 15 years. Players and staff were celebrating on the ice in Rimouski, Que. Article content Taylor rushed to his father, Gardiner, and the two hugged. The emotion of the moment was evident on both of their faces. Article content 'I don't know if you could make up a scene in Hollywood and come out with how everything worked out,' Gardiner told The Guardian in a phone interview on May 20, one day after the Wildcats posted a 3-2 road win over the Rimouski Oceanic to win the franchise's third QMJHL championship. 'We are very, very blessed for sure.' Article content Head Coach & GM. Father & Son. Gardiner & Taylor. What a wild year it's been for the MacDougall pair! 🫂 @monctonwildcats | #QPlayoffs — QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 20, 2025 Article content This marked the MacDougalls' first season with the Robert K. Irving-owned and led Wildcats, who have now won three QMJHL championships since 2006. Taylor is the general manager and Gardiner, who grew up in Bedeque, P.E.I., is head coach. Article content Article content 'It is special, and it is something you try to soak in for a second,' Taylor told The Guardian on May 20. 'To get the win at all is something that is so hard to do, but to get to do it with family is probably even more so. Article content 'That extends into our entire staff. We have such a great staff and group to work with and there were a lot of special moments with them.' Article content 'I'm just happy for the entire organization,' said Taylor, a lawyer who previously worked as a player agent. 'We are so fortunate and so lucky with the people we have involved in the organization, a lot of them have been a part of the organization for a long time. You start with Mr. Irving and I'm so happy for them and the players.' Article content Article content Article content Expectations Article content The MacDougalls took over a Wildcats' team with championship aspirations. With a veteran core returning for the 2024-25 season, the Wildcats finished atop the overall standings in the 18-team league in the regular season with a record of 53-9-2-0 (won-lost-overtime losses-shootout losses), the Wildcats went 16-3 in the playoffs en route to winning the Gilles Courteau Trophy. Article content 'The overall experience has been exhilarating with the group,' said Gardiner, who spent the previous 24 seasons as head coach of the UNB men's hockey program, winning nine national championships and 12 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference titles. 'We were fortunate as a father-son to win two national championships at UNB as a coach-player, and here it's coach-general manager.
CBC
19-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Moncton Wildcats break lengthy drought to become QMJHL champions
The Moncton Wildcats are Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League champions once again, breaking a 15-year drought. The team won 3-2 over the Rimouski Oceanic on Monday afternoon, taking home the Gilles-Courteau Trophy after six games in the best-of-seven series. Loke Johansson scored one goal, while Gabe Smith scored twice for the Cats, giving the team a 3-0 lead heading into the third period. Jonathan Fauchon and Jacob Mathieu scored for Rimouski in a late attempt to come back, but it wasn't enough. The Wildcats and Oceanic won't have long to rest. Both teams are playing in the Memorial Cup, which starts Friday night in Rimouski. Because Rimouski is this year's host team and they made it to the Q-league finals, it meant the other team playing them automatically qualified for the national tournament anyway. Moncton has won the Q-league title twice before — in 2006 and 2010 — back when the trophy was named the President's Cup and the league name was the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Wildcats' head coach is Gardiner MacDougall of Bedeque, P.E.I. He joined the team this season after coaching the University of New Brunswick's men's hockey team for 24 seasons, which won nine national university championships during his tenure and had a perfect season in 2023-24.
Ottawa Citizen
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Wildcats take early lead in QMJHL final
The Moncton Wildcats are off to a strong start in their first quest for the Gilles Courteau Trophy since 2011. Article content Article content The Wildcats defeated the Rimouski Océanic 4-1 before a sold-out crowd in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League final Saturday at the Avenir Centre. Article content They followed it up with a 4-3 triumph in double overtime in Game 2 Sunday night in Moncton to take a 2-0 lead in the series. Article content Article content Vincent Collard was the Wildcats' hero 2:34 into the second extra period in Game 2. Jonathan Fauchon netted the equalizer for Rimouski late in the third. Article content Article content Océanic defenceman Jack Martin, of Upper Coverdale, notched a goal and an assist for the visiting squad, bringing his total for the post-season to 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 14 games. The 19-year-old rearguard – who has family connections in the Miramichi area – registered nine points (three, six) in 25 regular-season games with Rimouski this year. Article content Martin spent parts of the past four seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads, where he logged 33 points (11, 22) in 152 regular-season contests, along with six points (one, five) in 25 playoff appearances. Article content Another former Moosehead, Mathieu Cataford, also scored for the Océanic. Article content Juraj Pekarcek, Markus Vidicek, and Julius Sumpf were Moncton's other marksmen in Game 2. Rudy Guimond made 28 stops. Article content The Wildcats' scorers in the series opener were Pekarcik, Vidicek, Collard, and Preston Lounsbury. Mathis Rousseau made 13 saves for the win. Article content Article content Maxime Coursol netted the lone Rimouski goal in Game 1. Mathis Langevin stopped 34 shots in the losing cause. Article content Game 3 of the QMJHL final is Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the Sun Life Financial Coliseum, followed by Game 4 Thursday at 8 p.m. If needed, the series will return to Moncton for Game 5 Saturday at 7 p.m., with Game 6 slated for May 19 at 2 p.m. in Rimouski. Article content If necessary, Game 7 will be played May 20 at 7 p.m. in Moncton. All game times are listed in the Atlantic time zone. Article content The series winner will earn the Gilles Courteau Trophy, but both teams will compete at the Memorial Cup tournament as Rimouski is the host team and is guaranteed a spot. Article content The Maritime Junior Hockey League's Edmundston Blizzard won their first game at the 2025 Centennial Cup tournament in Calgary and lost their second contest. Article content The Blizzard opened the tournament with a 4-3 overtime win over Ontario's Rockland Nationals May 8 at the Max Bell Centre. They followed it up with a 5-3 setback against Saskatchewan's Melfort Mustangs Saturday night. Article content Edmundston will take on Quebec's Valleyfield Braves Monday at 3 p.m., then hit the ice Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. for a date with the host Calgary Canucks.
Ottawa Citizen
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
QMJHL Memorial Cup teams have P.E.I. connections
The two teams that will represent the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in the 2025 Memorial Cup in Rimouski, Que., have been determined. Article content Article content And there's Prince Edward Island representation with both teams. Article content The Moncton Wildcats, coached by Bedeque's Gardiner MacDougall, are now guaranteed a spot in the Canadian major junior hockey championship tournament from May 23 to June 1. MacDougall's son, Taylor MacDougall, who grew up in Fredericton, is the Wildcats' general manager. Article content Article content Article content Article content The Rimouski Oceanic won the other semifinal in double overtime of Game 7 versus the Shawinigan Cataractes on May 6. Article content With Rimouski guaranteed a berth as the host team, the Wildcats will represent the QMJHL in the four-team tournament also featuring the champions of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL). Article content Defenceman Luke Coughlin of East Royalty, P.E.I., is in his fourth season with the Oceanic. Coughlin was drafted in the sixth round, 191st overall, in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Coughlin recorded a goal and two assists in the Oceanic's first eight playoff games before suffering an injury in Game 4 of the second round against Chicoutimi on April 16. Coughlin has not played since then. Article content League final Article content But before the Memorial Cup, the Wildcats and Oceanic will meet to determine who gets to hoist the Gilles Courteau Trophy as QMJHL champions. Article content Article content The first two games in the best-of-seven series take place at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, N.B., on May 10 at 5 p.m., and May 11 at 7 p.m. TSN will televise the final series and the Memorial Cup. Article content The Wildcats, who finished first overall in the regular season, with 108 points in 64 games on the strength of a 53-9-2-0 (won-lost-overtime losses-shootout losses) record, have a 12-1 playoff record. Moncton has outscored its opposition 53-32 in the post-season. Article content The Oceanic is 12-3-2 in the playoffs while outscoring their opponents 65-35. Rimouski (46-14-2-2) finished second overall in the regular season overall standings with 96 points.
