Six teams set for U18 Club Nationals

Hockey
Published 12.04.2023
Six teams set for U18 Club Nationals

Lions. Blizzard. Vikings. Estacades. Gaulois; who makes the quick journey to Saint-Hyacinthe?

Fifteen groups battled by the Ligue de développement du hockey M18 AAA
du Québec (LDHM18AAAQ) this season, and two-thirds of them are accomplished,
leaving us with 5. 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
trying to symbolize the province on the Men’s U18 National Club
Championship.

It’s a brand new format this 12 months within the LDHM18AAAQ playoffs – the ultimate 5
groups will meet in a single-elimination event; the primary semifinal
matchup will see the Blizzard tackle the Lions, whereas the Vikings will
await the winner of the wild card sport between the Gaulois and Estacades in
the second semifinal.

Quebec groups have lengthy discovered success on the nationwide stage, medalling in
all however two tournaments since 1990. But it has been a irritating stretch
of close-but-not-enough; LDHM18AAAQ groups have misplaced within the gold medal sport
at 4 straight nationwide championships (and 7 of 9), and no staff
from La Belle Province has received 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 document: 26-8-2 (third in LDHM18AAAQ)

Goals for: 144

Goals in opposition to: 87

Leading scorer: Connor Davis (28G 24A 52P)

Playoff document: 7-1-1

Goals for: 35

Goals in opposition to: 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 remaining: defeated Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe 3-2 (4-3, 3-4, 1-3, 5-0,
5-2)

Last nationwide championship look: 2016 (bronze medal)

Total nationwide championship appearances: 8 (1977, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1991,
1992, 2011, 2016)

BLIZZARD DU SÉMINAIRE ST-FRANÇOIS

Regular season document: 28-11-1 (2nd in LDHM18AAAQ)

Goals for: 167

Goals in opposition to: 110

Leading scorer: Benjamin Chabot (20G 31A 51P)

Playoff document: 6-2

Goals for: 30

Goals in opposition to: 12

Leading scorer: Nathaniel Harvey (4G 5A 9P)

ROAD TO THE QUEBEC REGIONAL

Thaïzone semifinal: defeated Albatros du Collège Notre-Dame 3-0 (2-0, 6-1,
3-0)

Thaïzone remaining: defeated Estacades de Trois-Rivières 3-2 (2-6, 4-1, 2-1,
4-5 OT, 5-2)

Last nationwide championship look: 2017 (silver medal)

Total nationwide championship appearances: 16 (1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983,
1986, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2017)

VIKINGS DE SAINT-EUSTACHE

Regular season document: 33-5-2 (1st in LDHM18AAAQ)

Goals for: 165

Goals in opposition to: 85

Leading scorer: Vincent Desjardins (15G 32A 47P)

Playoff document: 6-1

Goals for: 29

Goals in opposition to: 16

Leading scorer: Vincent Desjardins (4G 6A 10P)

ROAD TO THE QUEBEC REGIONAL

CCM semifinal: defeated Forestiers d’Amos 3-1 (1-3, 6-2, 6-1, 4-3)

CCM remaining: defeated Rousseau Royal de Laval-Montréal 3-0 (4-1, 4-3, 4-3)

Last nationwide championship look: none

Total nationwide championship appearances: none

GAULOIS DE SAINT-HYACINTHE

Regular season document: 26-16-0 (fifth in LDHM18AAAQ)

Goals for: 168

Goals in opposition to: 128

Leading scorer: Caleb Desnoyers (23G 30A 53P)

Playoff document: 5-5

Goals for: 27

Goals in opposition to: 39

Leading scorer: Émile Guité (7G 4A 11P)

ROAD TO THE QUEBEC REGIONAL

Tacks semifinal: defeated Cantonniers de Magog 3-2 (4-3, 3-2, 1-7, 3-7,
4-2)

Tacks remaining: misplaced to Lions du Lac St-Louis 3-2 (3-4, 4-3, 3-1, 0-5, 2-5)

Wild card semifinal: defeated Forestiers d’Amos 6-3

Last nationwide championship look: 2003 (silver medal)

Total nationwide championship appearances: 1 (2003)

ESTACADES DE TROIS-RIVIÈRES

Regular season document: 23-14-2 (seventh in LDHM18AAAQ)

Goals for: 135

Goals in opposition to: 95

Leading scorer: Louis-Charles Plourde (18G 29A 47P)

Playoff document: 3-4-2

Goals for: 20

Goals in opposition to: 22

Leading scorer: Connor Chartrand (1G 8A 9P)

ROAD TO THE QUEBEC REGIONAL

Thaïzone semifinal: defeated Chevaliers de Lévis 3-0 (4-3, 4-3, 3-1)

Thaïzone remaining: misplaced to Blizzard du Séminaire St-François 2-3 (6-2, 1-4,
1-2, 5-4 OT, 2-5)

Wild card semifinal: defeated Rousseau Royal de Laval-Montréal 3-2

Last nationwide championship look: 1976 (ninth place)

Total nationwide championship appearances: 1 (1976)