The Vankleek Hill Cougars will face the Gatineau-Hull Volant in the National Capital Junior Hockey League (NCJHL) finals, after a Game 7 semi-final 4-1 road win over the Westport Rideaus on Sunday evening (March 23).
The Cougars, who finished the regular season in third place with a record of 23-9-1-1, will be on the road to face the first place Volant (30-3-1-0) in Game 1, which will be held at Centre Slush Puppie in Gatineau this Wednesday (March 26). Puck drop is 7:30 p.m.
Game 2 will be held at the Vankleek Hill Community Centre on Friday, March 28, with game time set for 8 p.m.
Game 7 – Sunday, March 23 – Vankleek Hill Cougars 4, Westport Rideaus 1
Cougars forward Sebastien Ouimet figured in on all four Vankleek Hill scores, with two goals and two assists, to lead the team into the finals with a 4-1 victory in Game 7 at the Westport Arena.
Malcolm Seguin scored to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead in the first period, before Ouimet’s two goals in the second staked Vankleek Hill to a 3-0 lead. Cody Horner scored in the third to quell a potential Westport comeback and make the final score 4-1. Tristan Paquette was solid in the Vankleek Hill net to earn the win.
Game 6 – Saturday, March 22 – Vankleek Hill Cougars 3, Westport Rideaus 4 (OT)
With the Cougars looking to wrap up the series at home in Game 6, Rideaus netminder Ben Spicer stole the show, leading Westport to a hard-fought 4-3 overtime win at the Vankleek Hill Community Centre on Saturday (March 22).
Zachary Bigras had a goal and an assist for Vankleek Hill, as did Zachary Sullivan. Andy Lightle-Blais also scored for the home squad, which outshot Westport 39-35.
NCJHL Finals full schedule
Game 1 – Wednesday March 26 – 7:30 pm Gatineau Slush Puppie
Game 2 – Friday March 28 – 8 pm Vankleek Hill Community Centre
Game 3 – Sunday March 30 – Gatineau (time and place to be confirmed)
Game 4 – Wednesday April 2 – 7:30 pm Vankleek Hill Community Centre
Game 5 – Friday April 4 – Gatineau (time and place to be confirmed)
Game 6 – Saturday April 5 – 9 pm Vankleek Hill Community Centre
Game 7 – Sunday, April 6 – Gatineau (time and place to be confirmed)
Vankleek Hill Cougars forward Sebastien Ouimet (22) gets ready to jump on the ice, as the Cougars face the Westport Rideaus at the Vankleek Hill Community Centre on Saturday, March 21. Ouimet led the Cougars with two goals and two assists the following day (Sunday, March 22) as Vankleek Hill took Game 7 in Westport by a 4-1 score. Photo: Sylvain Lauwers
Vankleek Hill’s Zachary Sullivan (9) scores on Westport Rideaus goaltender Ben Spicer (31) in the Cougars 4-3 overtime loss on Saturday, March 21. Photo: Sylvain Lauwers
