#QPlayoffs Preview: Victoriaville vs. Gatineau
The Victoriaville Tigres will battle the Gatineau Olympiques in the opening round of the QMJHL Playoffs. During the regular season, the Tigres had the edge, winning three of their four games against Gatineau.
All eyes will be on the Tigres’ Vitalii Abramov in this series given that he became the most productive European player in QMJHL history back in March, and that he will be facing the team he previously played 162 games with. Since joining the Tigres in November, he picked up two points in two games against his ex-team. Selected in the third round of the 2016 NHL Draft by Columbus, Abramov is coming off an explosive season that saw him rack up 45 goals and 59 assists and lead the Q with a +52 rating.
The Olympiques will also have to keep an eye on Abramov’s linemate and gold medal winner at the latest World Juniors, Maxime Comtois. In 54 games, the big bodied forward piled up 85 points comprised of 44 goals and 41 assists.
Between the pipes, veteran goalie Etienne Montpetit will be hoping to cap his junior career on a positive note by winning the President Cup. Formally with the Val-d’Or Foreurs, he has played solidly since joining the Tigres, winning 13 of 17 games. Coach Louis Robitaille’s squad is on a roll to say the least, with the Tigres riding an 11-game undefeated streak as they look to carry their mojo into the postseason.
Contrary to the Tigres, the Olympiques will be will looking for a fresh start in the playoffs since head coach Eric Landry’s troops managed only one win over their final 10 games. That being said, Gatineau will be able to count on the eagerly-awaited return of their top defenseman, Alex Breton. Described by Landry as a player who manages the puck well and is always ready to make a big play, the 20-year-old rearguard will surely have an impact on his club’s fate. This series will also be a sort of homecoming for Breton who was drafted by the Tigres at the 2014 QMJHL Draft, but never ended up playing a game for Victoriaville before he was dealt to the Olympiques the following year.
In goal for the Olympiques, Tristan Bérubé ended the season with a 2.94 goals against average and a 22-15-2-4 record. He got to take a well-deserved breather at season’s end and should be sharp and rested to slow down the Tigres’ potent offence.
Despite the fact that few experts are even giving Gatineau a shot in this series, it would be wise to never count the Olympiques out given the way the hostile confines of the Centre Robert-Guertin can make life difficult for opponents and given the team’s playoff pedigree. This spring marks the 34th consecutive year the Olympiques have reached the postseason!
Last spring, the Olympiques were eliminated in the first round by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in a tough seven-game series. Meanwhile, the Tigres also lost in the opening round to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in 2017. The clubs are meeting up in the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 postseason, back when the Tigres won the Conference Semifinals in five games.
Victoriaville Tigres team profile
Gatineau Olympiques team profile
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