Lions. Blizzard. Vikings. Estacades. Gaulois; who makes the short trip to Saint-Hyacinthe?
Fifteen teams battled through the Ligue de développement du hockey M18 AAA
du Québec (LDHM18AAAQ) this season, and two-thirds of them are done,
leaving us with five. The Lions du Lac St-Louis, Blizzard du Séminaire
St-François, Vikings de Saint-Eustache, Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe and
Estacades de Trois-Rivières go into the first-ever Classique de champions
looking to represent the province at the Men’s U18 National Club
Championship.
It’s a new format this year in the LDHM18AAAQ playoffs – the final five
teams will meet in a single-elimination tournament; the first semifinal
matchup will see the Blizzard take on the Lions, while the Vikings will
await the winner of the wild card game between the Gaulois and Estacades in
the second semifinal.
Quebec teams have long found success on the national stage, medalling in
all but two tournaments since 1990. But it has been a frustrating stretch
of close-but-not-enough; LDHM18AAAQ teams have lost in the gold medal game
at four straight national championships (and seven of nine), and no team
from La Belle Province has won gold since Sainte-Foy (now Séminaire
St-François) in 2001.
RECENT CHAMPIONS (U18 NATIONALS FINISH)
2022 – Cantonniers de Magog (silver medal)
2019 – Cantonniers de Magog (silver medal)
2018 – Cantonniers de Magog (silver medal)
2017 – Blizzard du Séminaire St-François (silver medal)
2016 – Lions du Lac St-Louis (bronze medal)
LIONS DU LAC ST-LOUIS
Regular season record: 26-8-2 (3rd in LDHM18AAAQ)
Goals for: 144
Goals against: 87
Leading scorer: Connor Davis (28G 24A 52P)
Playoff record: 7-1-1
Goals for: 35
Goals against: 20
Leading scorer: Connor Davis (6G 5A 11P)
ROAD TO THE QUEBEC REGIONAL
Tacks semifinal: defeated Grenadiers de Châteauguay 3-1 (6-2, 4-1, 3-4 OT,
3-2)
Tacks final: defeated Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 3-2 (4-3, 3-4, 1-3, 5-0,
5-2)
Last national championship appearance: 2016 (bronze medal)
Total national championship appearances: 8 (1977, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1991,
1992, 2011, 2016)
BLIZZARD DU SÉMINAIRE ST-FRANÇOIS
Regular season record: 28-11-1 (2nd in LDHM18AAAQ)
Goals for: 167
Goals against: 110
Leading scorer: Benjamin Chabot (20G 31A 51P)
Playoff record: 6-2
Goals for: 30
Goals against: 12
Leading scorer: Nathaniel Harvey (4G 5A 9P)
ROAD TO THE QUEBEC REGIONAL
Thaïzone semifinal: defeated Albatros…
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