Drakkar battle Voltigeurs in Game 1 of QMJHL Championship Series on TSN
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The Baie-Comeau Drakkar are taking on the Drummondville Voltigeurs in Game 1 of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Championship Series on Thursday for the right to lift the Gilles-Courteau Trophy.
Baie-Comeau finished first in the Western Conference with a 53-12-3 record in the regular season while Drummondville ended as the Eastern Conference's No.1 seed with a 48-14-6 record.
The Drakkar swept the Charlottetown Islanders and Acadie-Bathrust Titan in the first two rounds and dispatched the Cape Breton Eagles in five games in order to reach the QMJHL Championship Series.
Drummondville swept the Saint John Sea Dogs in the first round then defeated the Sherbrooke Phoenix in five games in Round 2. The Voltigeurs then beat the Victoriaville Tigres in five games in the Eastern Conference Championship Series in a battle that saw four one-goal games and two games decided in overtime.
Baie-Comeau has been led by wingers Justin Poirier and Justin Gill, who sit first and second in playoff scoring, respectively.
Poirier leads the playoffs with 17 goals and 25 points through the first three rounds, including seven goals and 11 points against Cape Breton. The 5-foot-8 winger led the QMJHL with 51 goals in the regular season to go along with 82 points and is eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas.
Gill sits right behind Poirier in playoff scoring with 10 goals and 24 points, including five goals and 10 points against the Eagles. The New York Islanders prospect finished second in QMJHL regular season scoring with 40 goals and 98 points in 65 games and was a finalist for the Michel-Briere Trophy as the league's most valuable player.
The Voltigeurs have been led by Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Ethan Gauthier, who is third in playoff scoring with 10 goals and 20 points. The 5-foot-11 winger was tied for the team lead in scoring during the regular season with forward Sam Oliver, recording 36 goals and 71 points in 64 games.
Buffalo Sabres prospect Vsevolod Komarov leads the Voltigeurs blueline after he was acquired from the Quebec Remparts in December. The 6-foot-3 right-shot defenceman led all QMJHL defencemen with 14 goals and 69 points in 60 games in the regular season split between Drummondville and Quebec and won the Emile Bouchard Trophy as the league's top defenceman.
Komarov has four goals and 12 points in the playoffs, including two goals and four points in the Eastern Conference Championship Series.
Charles-Edward Gravel has controlled the Drakkar net since he was acquired from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in December. Since joining Baie-Comeau, the 6-foot-1 netminder registered a 17-9-0 regular season record with a 2.34 goals-against average and .906 save percentage.
Gravel continued his strong play in the playoffs, leading the league with a 1.89 GAA to go along with a .924 save percentage.
Riley Mercer has been outstanding for Drummondville in the playoffs, leading the QMJHL with a .927 save percentage and is second to Gravel with a 2.07 GAA. The 6-foot-2 netminder had a 31-13-4 record in the regular season with a 2.83 GAA and .905 save percentage.
Baie-Comeau and Drummondville faced each other four times during the regular season with the Voltigeurs taking the season series 3-1.