A heartbreaking loss for the Moncton Wildcats to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.
It was a hard-fought game, but the Sags beat the Cats on Sunday night, 5 to 1, in game six the QMJHL Championships.
The emotions were flowing as the realization sank in for the Cats, surrounded by cheers from Chicoutimi fans, as the two teams shook hands following the game.
“I can’t say enough about the group we had this year. That’s the total group, right from our owner down and down, our support staff, our unbelievable fans in Moncton, and the contributions of our players,” Head Coach Gardiner Macdougall stated following the loss.
This gives the Sags the Gilles-Courteau Trophy for the first time in 32 years, and a trip to the Memorial Cup in Kelowna, British Columbia, next week.
The Wildcats were seeking a repeat of last year’s victory, when they earned the championship win.
A disappointing end to a strong season for players, including Rudy Guimond, Alex Mercier, and Preston Lounsbury, who have reached the end of their junior playing careers.
“It’s always about the players. We had a lot of players who had career-best seasons and really grew as people, grew as players. It is a fine line, and it’s heart-wrenching for these guys who put so much into the efforts of trying to continue to get better,” Macdougall added.
Gabe Smith received the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the MVP for the QMJHL Playoffs.
A large crowd of Wildcats fans gathered outside the Avenir Centre in Moncton last night to show their support at a watch party in the Ian Fowler Oval. Despite the loss, there was still much love for the team, with the fans taking the time to thank them for a great season.
“It’s been a real honour and privilege for my son and myself to be part of the Moncton Wildcats. I can’t say enough about the passion of the fans in Moncton, in our province, in the Atlantic region. It’s certainly disappointing that we had such a capacity crowd that we didn’t leave where we should have won in the third period. The people at the airport, when we left yesterday, just the passion of those people, it means so much. Our goal is to make a significant difference with our players, but with the community of Moncton,” Macdougall said.
