Eagles Ready To Open Round Two Against Sags In Front Of Sold Out Crowd
April 11, 2024 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Cape Breton Eagles News Release
For the first time since 2019, the Cape Breton Eagles are in the second round of the playoffs, and for the first time since 2007, they'll begin the second round on home ice. It's sure to be electric with a sold out crowd at Centre 200 for game one against the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.
It's a battle between two teams who have a legitimately claim as the hottest in the league. The Eagles finished the season on a league best nine game winning streak before dispatching of the Rimouski Océanic in five games, in particular dominating the two contests in Sydney. Chicoutimi posted the best record in the QMJHL over the last 20 games, and despite starting on the road, swept the Moncton Wildcats.
Cape Breton's Cam Squries was dominant in the first round, posting a league lead 11 points, while his linemate Cam MacDonald led the league with five goals. Xavier Daigle led the league in scoring by defensemen with six points
Two other Eagle forwards, Oliiver Houde & Jacob Newcombe also produced at a more than a point a game clip in the Rimouski series.Newcombe is no stranger to his second round opponent, having played with the Sags for the first year & a half in the QMJHL. The Saguenéens provided the opposition back in January when Newcombe made his return from battling Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The player for whom Newcombe was traded, Thomas Desruisseaux, led the Sags in scoring in round one with eight points in four games. The Eagles will also have to keep their eyes on Maxim Massé, a key offensive weapon who is a projected first round NHL draft pick (who appeared at the Top Prospects Game opposite of Cape Breton's Tomas Lavoie.) Both forwards were key to a strong Chicoutimi power play that scored six times in the opening round.
The two starting goaltenders are no strangers to each other, as they were goaltending partners in Cape Breton in the 2021-22 season. Nicolas Ruccia was name the Eagles MVP this season, while Delafontaine helped the Sags second half turnaround with an 11-7 record after arriving in a trade from Shawinigan.
This is the fourth time the Eagles & Saguenéens will meet in the post-season. While the Eagles hold two first round victories over Chicoutimi (in 2001 & 2016), Chicoutimi was victorious in the only second round encounter (2004). The Eagles also had home ice in the three prior encounters. Just as was the case against Rimouski, this series conducted under a 2-3-2 format, with the Eagles hosting games 1, 2, 6*, and 7* while the Sags host games 3, 4, and 5* (*if necessary).
Here's what else you need to know ahead of tonight's series opener!
Venue: Centre 200, Sydney, NS
Puck drop: 7 PM
Television coverage: Eastlink
Web coverage: https://shorturl.at/ghGP5
Radio Coverage: 1270 AM CJCB or online at www.cjcbradio.com
Twitter: @cbehockey
Live stats: https://shorturl.at/dezP9
CHICOUTIMI CAPE BRETON
6th Eastern Conference, 35-25-8 (Away: 14-17-3 REGULAR SEASON RECORD 4th Eastern Conference, 39-26-3 (Home: 20-14-0)
247GF/229GA REGULAR SEASON GOALS FOR/GOALS AGAINST 216GF/194GA
1-1-0 SEASON SERIES 1-1-0
April 3rd, Moncton 2 @ Chicoutimi 5 LAST GAME RESULT April 5th, Rimouski 2 @ Cape Breton 4
Maxim Massé (75 points in 67 games) REGULAR SEASON LEADING SCORER Cam Squires (72 points in 66 games)
Norman Pancoha (Buffalo) DRAFTED PLAYERS Cam Squires (New Jersey)
3rd, 26.4% (Away: 2nd, 29.1%) REGULAR SEASON POWER PLAY 12th, 20.9% (Home: 15th, 17.9%)
7th, 80% (Away: 7th, 79.7%) REGULAR SEASON PENALTY KILL 2nd, 81.4 (Home: 1st, 84.4%)
Loïc Usereau INJURY REPORT (PRIOR GAME) Jude Campbell, Noah Larochelle
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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from April 11, 2024
- Eagles Ready To Open Round Two Against Sags In Front Of Sold Out Crowd - Cape Breton Eagles
- QMJHL Lottery on RDS on April 25 - QMJHL
- Lounsbury Named Frank-J.-Selke Trophy Finalist - Moncton Wildcats
- Desnoyers Named Michel-Bergeron Trophy Finalist - Moncton Wildcats
- Mathieu Cataford Makes AHL Debut - Halifax Mooseheads
- CBRM Raises Eagles Flag Ahead of Historic Weekend: Eagles Recap: April 11, 2024 - Cape Breton Eagles
- QMJHL announces finalists for Frank-J.-Selke Trophy - QMJHL
- Émile Guité Wins Rookie of the Year Award - QMJHL
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