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Schedule

(Note that * indicates if necessary)
Game 1: Quebec 3 at Moncton 4 (OT)
Game 2: Sunday at 7 p.m. (Moncton)
Game 3: Tuesday at 8 p.m. (Quebec)
Game 4: Thursday at 8 p.m. (Quebec)
*Game 5: Friday at 8 p.m. (Quebec)
*Game 6: May 14 at 7 p.m. (Moncton)
*Game 7: May 16 at 7 p.m. (Moncton)

Moncton playoff history

The 11-year-old franchise is in the playoffs for the seventh time. The Wildcats have won 10 series and lost six. They have an overall record of 48 wins and 36 losses.

Getting to know you

This is the second time that Moncton and Quebec have met in the playoffs. Here is a look at the Wildcats lifetime record against each opponent they’ve faced: 5-11 vs. Rimouski, 8-8 vs. Quebec, 4-2 vs. Chicoutimi, 4-0 vs. Acadie-Bathurst, 4-0 vs. Baie-Comeau, 4-2 vs. Prince Edward Island, 5-5 vs. Gatineau, 4-2 vs. Drummondville, 2-4 vs. Rouyn-Noranda; 4-1 vs. Victoriaville and 4-1 vs. Halifax.

Regular season

Moncton: 52-15-0-3 for 107 points. First in the Eastern Division and first overall in the 18-team league.

Quebec: 52-16-1-1 for 106 points. First in the Western Division and second overall in the league.

Head-to-Head

Quebec won 4-3 and 7-3.

Ones to watch (playoffs)

Moncton: Centre Philippe Dupuis (9-16-25, 13 games); left winger Martins Karsums (10-9-19, 15 games); defenceman Keith Yandle (6-11-17, 15 games); right winger Adam Pineault (12-4-16, 15
games); left winger Brad Marchand (5-11-16, 14 games); left winger Stephane Goulet (7-8-15, 13 games); right winger Jerome Samson (5-10-15, 15 games) and centre Christian Gaudet (7-6-13, 13 games).

Quebec: Right winger Alexander Radulov (17-27-44, 17 games); left winger Mathieu Melanson (21-10-31, 17 games); defenceman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (4-20-24, 17 games); right winger Brent Aubin (9-12-21, 17 games); defenceman Michal Sersen (2-16-18, 17 games); centre Simon Courcelles (4-10-14, 17 games) and left winger Jordan LaVallee (6-7-13, 17 games).

Home/Away

Moncton: 9-0 at home; 4-3 on the road.

Quebec: 7-2 at home; 5-4 on the road.

Offence (playoffs)

Moncton: Average of 5.20 goals per game.

Quebec: Average of 5.23 goals per game.

Defence (playoffs)

Moncton: 2.13 goals-against average.

Quebec: 2.52 goals-against average.

Special teams (playoffs)

Moncton: 22.2 per cent on the power play; 87.5 per cent in penalty killing.

Quebec: 25.8 per cent on the power play; 83.8 per cent in penalty killing.

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Tim Spencer comes up big with winning goal against Quebec Remparts


The playoffs are often about unheralded players coming up big at key times.

An unlikely hero emerged as Tim Spencer scored at 4:55 of overtime to lift the Moncton Wildcats to a 4-3 win over the Quebec Remparts in the opening game of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championship series in front of 6,020 fans last night at the Moncton Coliseum.

Philippe Dupuis had his shot deflect off an opponent. Spencer, a fourth-line right winger, picked up the rebound and fired a close shot past Remparts goaltender Cedrick Desjardins for his first goal and fifth point in 16 playoff outings.

"That's the first overtime goal I've scored in my life at any level and it just feels incredible right now," said Spencer. "A loose puck came out in front of the net and I just managed to pick up the rebound. It wasn't the nicest goal, but it worked for us.

"I just basically saw the puck and let it go. It was the only shift I had in overtime so it's a great feeling to come up with a big goal to help the team. Things worked out for the best so I couldn't be any happier right now."

Some have suggested this best-of-seven President Cup final might not be as hard fought as usual simply because of the fact both clubs are already guaranteed a berth in the 2006 Memorial Cup, which runs from May 19-28 at the Moncton Coliseum.

Game 1 of the final certainly didn't back up that statement as both clubs battled hard and showed a lot of intensity. Quebec held a 41-38 shots edge in a nail-biting contest that left fans on the edge of their seats for most of the night.

"This was our toughest game yet in the playoffs," said Spencer, who had five goals and 14 points in 64 games this season. "Quebec works so hard. We had to work so hard for every goal we got and if we let up at all they would take advantage of it.

"We can't sit back for one second because they're a great team and they'll just keep coming at us. It's going to be a hard-fought series because we want to go to the Memorial Cup the right way and that's as league champion."

Game 2 is tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Moncton Coliseum.

Martins Karsums, with a pair, and Adam Pineault scored for Moncton, which boasts a perfect 9-0 home record in the playoffs.

Mathieu Melanson, with a pair, and Yan Ouimet provided the offence for Quebec. Melanson, a Shediac native, improved his league-leading total to 23 goals in the playoffs and Alexander Radulov had two assists.

On the power play, Moncton was 3-for-7 and Quebec was 2-for-5.

The Wildcats used defencemen Luc Bourdon and Andrew MacDonald and forwards Jerome Samson, Josh Hepditch and Christian Gaudet against Quebec's high-powered line of Melanson, Radulov and Ouimet.

"I thought it went pretty good," said Gaudet. "We were ready for the challenge. It's not only one or two guys. All five guys on the ice have to be alert against them because they've got a lot of firepower. I think we did a good job against them at even strength. They got two of their three goals on the power play.

"It took a little while for both teams to get used to each other. I think it turned into a different kind of game after the first period."

Wildcats head coach Ted Nolan was pleased with the job his checkers did against Quebec's top line.

"There's only so much you can do against that line," he said. "I mean they're a very dynamic line. To see a player like Radulov in junior hockey, it's entertaining for the fans.

"He's the real deal. To have Luc Bourdon trying to check him. I mean this is what playoffs are all about. You have two evenly matched teams going at it and it should be a long series."

Quebec held a 13-6 shots edge in the scoreless first period. The two clubs came out playing very cautiously and went through the feeling out process early in the game, both careful not to make the first costly mistake.

Moncton owned a 16-12 shots edge in a wild second period that featured plenty of momentum swings. The clubs combined for six goals in the frame, including five on the power play, and it was tied 3-3 after 40 minutes.

It was mostly special teams play in the second period and that had a big impact. Pineault scored on a shot from near the left faceoff circle dot to open the summary for the Wildcats on the power play at 6:15.

Melanson centered a pass from the backboards and Ouimet, a former Wildcat, converted to pull the Remparts into a 1-1 tie at 7:29.

Karsums scored on a bang-bang play from the faceoff to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead on the power play at 8:24. The Remparts struck back with a pair of goals from Melanson on the power play to grab a 3-2 lead by 12:11. The Wildcats made it 3-3 during a two-man advantage with 11 seconds remaining in the second period. Karsums took a shot from the edge of the goalmouth and jammed the rebound into the net.

Quebec held a 15-14 shots edge in a wide-open third period that featured several good scoring chances at both ends. Wildcats goaltender Tordjman and Desjardins both came up with big saves to force overtime.

The Remparts had a golden opportunity with 10 minutes remaining in regulation time. Tordjman came through in the clutch and turned back Nicolas Robillard's shot from close range.

Moncton held a 2-1 shots edge in overtime. Nolan is a big believer in using all four lines and this time it paid off as a new hero was born.

"You can only ask (your top) players to go a certain amount of minutes," he said. "You have to throw in other guys. We started rotating Spencer and (Danny) MacKinnon in. That was just Spencer's turn and he was in the right place at the right time.

"To win a championship is always something special and I'm sure both teams want it badly even if we're both going to the Memorial Cup anyway. You put two quality teams on the ice and there's going to be competitive fire."

Moncton was No. 1 and Quebec No. 2 in the QMJHL this season. They were also the top two, in the same order, in the final Canadian Hockey League rankings.

"We know this is going to be a difficult series," said Quebec head coach Patrick Roy. "These are two well balanced teams with depth. I thought our team was very well prepared and the guys felt good out there.

"I thought we played better than them when it was five-on-five. Most of their shots came on the power play. I thought the referee was a bit hard on us, but at the same time we have to stay disciplined. There was a lot of momentum swings because of special teams.

"I really like the way we played. So far, I don't think there's adjustments to be made. Our breakout passes were good, our forecheck was solid and defensively we played well. They scored three of their goals on the power play."

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Sudden death is giving the Moncton Wildcats lots of life.

Martins Karsums emerged as the hero 1:05 into the extra period to lift the Wildcats to a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Quebec Remparts in a tension-packed Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff contest last night in front of 6,198 fans at the Moncton Coliseum.

Moncton holds a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series and both wins have come in dramatic fashion in sudden death overtime.

Karsums scored his 13th goal of the playoffs on a shot from near the right faceoff circle, beating Quebec goaltender Cedrick Desjardins to the blocker side. The 19-year-old Latvian star came through in the clutch and extended his goal-scoring streak to four games.

"We battled hard both games and came through in overtime so we're playing pretty good," said Karsums. "I think my shot went under his arm pit. (Brad) Marchand gave me a pass and I just shot it on the net.

"I didn't have time to look before shooting. I just shot the puck and it was more luck that it went in."

The next three games in the President Cup final are scheduled for Le Colisee Pepsi in Quebec City. These contests are tomorrow, Wednesday and, if necessary, on Friday.

Moncton held a 10-7 shots edge in the third period and spent the opening two minutes on the power play. But the hometown squad failed to cash in on that opportunity to build on its 2-1 lead.

The Remparts scored the only goal of the third period to make it 2-2 at 13:01. Mathieu Melanson, a Shediac native, picked up a pass at the side of the net and fired a close shot into the top corner for his league-leading 24th goal of the playoffs.

"We continued think all positive thoughts (in the dressing room before overtime)," said Karsums. "Everybody stayed confident that we could win. These were two great overtime wins with lots of emotion. Both games could've gone either way.

"It's great to have a 2-0 series lead, but now we have to forget about it and get refocused for the next game. Quebec's a really strong team and for sure they're going to come out hard in their own building. They're a tough team to beat so we're going to have to keep playing well."

Christian Gaudet and Matt Marquardt rounded out the scoring for Moncton, which held a 44-30 shots edge.

Alexander Radulov scored the other goal for Quebec, improving his league-leading total to 47 points in 19 playoff games. Melanson extended his goal-scoring streak to five games and he added an assist.

Both goaltenders - Desjardins and Josh Tordjman of Moncton - came up with numerous big saves throughout the contest, especially with their club's killing penalties. On the power play, Moncton was 0-for-7 and Quebec was 0-for-4.

Quebec was the highest scoring team in the Canadian Hockey League this season while Moncton was best defensively in the QMJHL. The Wildcats have allowed just five goals against in the opening two games of this series.

"I think we're playing very well defensively," said Tordjman. "Give the guys in front of me all the credit they deserve. I think especially in key situations where we were killing penalties tonight the guys did an unbelievable job in front of me.

"The defencemen were flying everywhere and blocking shots. Everybody's doing their role and both these wins were total team efforts."

Moncton held a 20-13 shots edge in a wide open first period that featured numerous good scoring chances at both ends. Both clubs were 0-for-3 on the power play in the frame.

The Remparts were awarded two power plays in the opening five minutes, including a two-man advantage for 1:32. The Wildcats did a fine job on the penalty kill to escape that situation unscathed.

The Wildcats opened the summary at 7:48, just one second after their futile power play expired. Gaudet was actually standing behind the goal line at the side of the net and took a bad-angle shot that deflected off Remparts goaltender Cedrick Desjardins into the net.

The Wildcats had a goal disallowed. The play went to video review and referee Guy Pellerin stuck with his initial ruling that the puck was kicked into the net.

The Remparts came back less than a minute later to create a 1-1 tie at 12:41. Radulov was left alone in front of the net with the puck and made no mistake with a point-blank shot.

Moncton owned a 12-9 shots edge in the second period and scored the lone goal to grab a 2-1 lead.

The Remparts were on the power play for the opening 1:53 in the frame. The Wildcats again came up big on the penalty kill to hold them off the scoreboard and drew a loud ovation for their work.

The Wildcats followed that up by taking a 2-1 lead less than a minute later at 2:36. Tim Spencer chipped the puck out of his own zone to send Marquardt on a breakaway and he fired a close wrist shot past Desjardins.

All that set the stage for the third period and short overtime in which Moncton held a 2-1 shots edge.

"I thought we played two good games that could've gone either way in overtime," said Quebec head coach Patrick Roy. "We came here trying to get a split and it didn't happen. Now, we know we have to play solid hockey at home and focus on what we can control for the next game.

"One thing hasn't changed. If we win our three home games, that means we still have to win one in Moncton."

Late in the second period, Roy got into a heated face-to-face confrontation with the referee at his club's bench. Roy was yelling at Pellerin and gesturing with his hands.

Fans then began mocking Roy by breaking into a loud chant of "Patrick, Patrick." After the final buzzer sounded, Roy continued his outrage toward the referee as he crossed the ice and that earned him a bench minor penalty.

"(Guillaume) Veilleux's chin got cut and I thought it was a highstick," said Roy. "That's why I was upset there was no call. I apologized to the referee afterward because I saw in video that it was a skate that cut him."

Moncton head coach Ted Nolan was left shaking his head over Roy's antics.

"That's two games in a row that Patrick just yells and screams at these referees," he said. "This is the only league among the three major junior leagues where a coach can yell at a referee like that and not get thrown out of the game.

"Maybe because it's Patrick the referees are afraid to throw him out. You act like that in the Ontario Hockey League or the Western Hockey League and you're tossed out of the game. I'm just shocked that the referees put up with it as much as they have so far in this series."

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The Moncton Wildcats looked like a real-life horror movie.

They showed a big lack of discipline, clearly lost their composure and turned in a mistake-filled performance. This disaster story ended with a 3-1 loss to the Quebec Remparts in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action last night in front of 12,864 fans at Le Colisee Pepsi.

Moncton leads 2-1 in the best-of-seven President Cup final with the next two games set for tomorrow and Friday in Quebec City.

From A to Z, Quebec was simply much better in every single aspect of this mismatch. The Remparts only managed a 42-34 shots edge and only won by a two-goal margin, both deceiving facts that were flattering for the Wildcats who were outplayed by a wide margin.

"They were the better team tonight in the first two periods," said Moncton head coach Ted Nolan. "They deserved to win. They got three power play goals and our power play wasn't working. We spent too much time in the penalty box in this game.

"I don't know if it's a question of us coming out flat. You look at the amount of time we were in the penalty box in the first period. It's pretty tough to play your game when you're shorthanded that much."

Quebec had six of the first seven power plays handed out by referee Francois Fortin, all in the opening 25 minutes. The Remparts built lots of momentum off this and held a 24-4 shots edge during this juncture of the contest.

Moncton then had nine of the final 15 power plays in the game. When the dust settled, the Wildcats were 1-for-10 and the Remparts were 3-for-12 on the power play.

"The referee ... I thought he did a great job tonight," said Nolan with obvious sarcasm, drawing some laughs from a throng of reporters. "I thought he was unbelievable. We were undisciplined. The referee was sensational.

"I really liked the penalty where we had too many men (on the ice). They had too many men, but they scored. I really liked that call. I thought he was great."

Simon Courcelles, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Brent Aubin scored for Quebec, which improved to 8-2 at home in the playoffs.

Adam Pineault countered for Moncton late in the third period, spoiling the shutout bid for Remparts goaltender Cedrick Desjardins. The Wildcats are 14-4 in the playoffs and this was just their second loss in the past 10 outings, snapping a four-game winning streak.

"They came out strong in their building," said Wildcats right winger Josh Hepditch. "They came out hard. I think they deserved that one. We didn't come out like we should've, we fell behind and we just couldn't dig ourselves out of the hole.

"We were killing a lot of penalties in the first period and that had an impact for sure, but I mean I think we got everything we deserved. We definitely weren't disciplined. We took some penalties after the whistle.

"We've just got to put this game out of our mind and focus on the next one. We've got a lot of older guys that are going to make sure we forget about this game by midnight. Tomorrow is a new day and we'll come out strong next game."

Quebec came out hard while Moncton hardly came out at all in the first period. The Remparts dominated with a 22-4 shots edge and were certainly full marks for their 2-0 lead at the intermission.

The Remparts had four of the five power plays awarded in the frame and used that to build a lot of momentum. They had the first three power plays of the game, all in the opening 13 minutes.

The Wildcats had two good scoring chances in opening four minutes. Brad Marchand hit the goalpost and Desjardins made a nice glove save on Tim Spencer.

The Wildcats then got into penalty trouble and spent most of the remainder of the first period on their heals. They were sloppy with giveaways, they handed their opponent scoring chances and relied heavily on several big saves from goaltender Josh Tordjman to stay in the game.

The Remparts opened the summary on the power play at 9:23 when Courcelles redirected Jordan LaVallee's shot. Vlasic fired a hard wrist shot from close range into the top corner to make it 2-0 on the power play at 12:31.

Moncton held a 13-7 shots edge in the penalty-filled second period. It was basically all special teams play.

The Remparts scored the lone goal in the frame and jumped ahead 3-0 on the power play at 10:12. Aubin broke to the net alone and fired a close shot past Tordjman.

Moncton played a strong third period with a 17-13 shots edge and pulled to within 3-1 on Pineault's goal on the power play at 14:17.

The Wildcats, 4-4 on the road in the playoffs, had an opportunity to create an interesting finish to the game. Brad Marchand failed to cash in on a breakaway with just over two minutes remaining.

"Quebec played well and did the right things tonight," said Hepditch. "We might have been cheating a little bit trying to get the fancy goals. We got away from the simple style we played the first two games in Moncton.

"We weren't ready for this game. We're going to learn from this, bounce back next game and come out really hard."

Quebec was leading 27-9 in shots when it grabbed a 3-0 lead midway through the second period. That's an accurate representation of the way the play was up to that point.

"We deserved those penalties," said Wildcats captain Christian Gaudet. "It was bad penalties. That's why the shots clock was so lopsided in the first period. We weren't very disciplined, they got all the power plays and they got a lot of shots because of that.

"You've got to give Quebec a lot of credit. They're a very skilled team and they did the right things at the right times tonight. It should've been 6-0 for them after the first period. Tordjman made a lot of great saves to keep us in the game."

Quebec head coach Patrick Roy offered these thoughts.

"I think Moncton thought we would be affected by our two overtime losses," he said.

"I told our guys that the Remparts are never going to lay down. The Remparts are always going to find a way to work through difficult situations.

"We have to thank our fans because they were behind us from the first time we stepped on the ice. They gave us a lot of energy. We're a team that has a lot of character. I think in numerous situations this season we've shown that we can come through in tough situations.

"We had a solid start to this game. I think if it wasn't for Tordjman tonight we could've easily been leading 4-0 after the first period."

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The Moncton Wildcats are a sparkling 10-0 at home, but just 4-4 on the road in the playoffs.

Wildcats head coach Ted Nolan is downplaying both this contrast and the difficult challenge of having to play three consecutive road games against the Quebec Remparts in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.

"We've got to just play the game no matter where it is," he said. "That's the bottom line. The ice surface is still the same. You've still got to outwork your opponent so whether we play here or back home it really shouldn't matter."

Moncton holds a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven President Cup final with the next two games set for tonight and tomorrow at Le Colisee Pepsi. If necessary, the final two games in the series will be 7 p.m. starts on Sunday and Tuesday at the Moncton Coliseum.

Moncton won 4-3 and 3-2, both in overtime, on home ice. Quebec struck back with a 3-1 home triumph on Tuesday in a penalty-filled contest that saw the clubs combine for 22 power plays.

The Remparts turned in a strong performance in Game 3, they were much better in every single aspect and they clearly could've won by more than a two-goal margin. The Wildcats were sloppy, undisciplined and looked awful the way they got outplayed in the opening two periods.

The Remparts had six of the first seven power plays handed out by referee Francois Fortin in the opening 25 minutes and built a 24-4 shots edge. They were leading 27-9 in shots when they jumped ahead 3-0 on the scoreboard midway through the second period.

The Wildcats were 1-for-10 and the Remparts were 3-for-12 on the power play when the final dust settled.

Nolan said before the series that he expected Quebec to get all the breaks from the referees because of Remparts head coach Patrick Roy. He pointed out that Roy is a former National Hockey League star goaltender, a big name in his home province of Quebec and this is a Quebec league.

Roy countered by saying he wished he could have as much respect from the referees as Nolan, who won the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL Coach of the Year with the Buffalo Sabres in 1996-97. He pointed out that Moncton had the most power plays in the QMJHL in the regular season.

After Game 3, Nolan was sarcastic and drew laughs from a group of reporters when he stated "The referee ... I thought he did a great tonight. I thought he was unbelievable. We were undisciplined. The referee was sensational. I believe this referee is going straight to the NHL."

Roy shot back sarcastically "I also think the referee did a good job. Moncton had four five-on-three power plays. That must be intimidating for a referee when the guy behind the bench won the Jack Adams Trophy and coached in the NHL."

Quebec is 5-for-21 on the power play (23.8 per cent) in this series. Moncton is just 4-for-25 on the power play (16 per cent) and it has struggled at 1-for-17 in the past two games.

The Wildcats clearly need to get their power play back on track as they prepare for Game 4 tonight. Nolan was asked about other areas that need improvement.

"I think we've just got to stay out of the penalty box and play five-on-five," he said. "They're a special teams type of team. They love to play four-on-four, five-on-four, five-on-three."

Wildcats captain Christian Gaudet pointed out it was important to forget about the Game 3 nightmare as quickly as possible.

"That's why it's called a best-of-seven series," he said. "You're only losing one game. It's not the end of the world. We've just got to learn from it and make sure it doesn't happen again next game.

"I thought our fourth line played really well (in Game 3). They were pretty much the only guys who gave it 100 per cent every time they were on the ice. The fourth line and (goaltender Josh) Tordjman were the only positives in that game for us."

Moncton, Quebec and the Vancouver Giants will compete in the 2006 Memorial Cup, a four-team tournament which takes place from May 19-28 at the Moncton Coliseum.

Vancouver, a five-year-old franchise, captured its first Western Hockey League championship. It completed a four-game sweep of the Moose Jaw Warriors in the final on Tuesday.

The Peterborough Petes lead the London Knights 3-0 in the Ontario Hockey League final. Peterborough will be on home ice tonight looking to clinch the championship and round out the field of competitors in the Memorial Cup tournament.

Moncton has played more games against Quebec than any other team in the QMJHL playoffs over the years. These clubs have met 18 times and both have nine wins.

The Wildcats and Remparts split two games when the second round took on a round-robin format in 1997-98.

The Wildcats posted a 4-3 series win in the second round in 1999-2000 and the Remparts had a 4-2 series win in the opening round in 2002-03.

Moncton has never won the QMJHL championship in its 11-year franchise history. Quebec has hoisted the President Cup five times, but not since 1975-76.

"We approached Game 3 as a must-win situation," said Quebec left winger Mathieu Melanson. "We couldn't afford to go down 3-0 in the series. It was a game we absolutely had to win and I think it showed the way we dominated in the first two periods.

"Tordjman played unbelievable. He's a great goaltender and when he sees the puck it's tough to get it by him. If it wasn't for him, that game would've been over after the first period."

Melanson, a 20-year-old from Shediac, leads the QMJHL playoffs with 24 goals. He commented on the fact his club had to regroup following two overtime losses on the road to begin the series.

"We could've just as easily been leading 2-0 in the series," he said.

"We told ourselves `We're back home, let's work to grab the momentum and take it one game at a time.' We're confident that if we can get it to Game 6 in Moncton we're capable of winning in their barn.

"All season when the pressure was on and it was time to have a good game we always pulled through. We're a character team. Moncton had all the momentum and it shifts fast.

"We're going to need another big performance (tonight). Moncton doesn't want the series tied 2-2."

Cat Tracks

- The Wildcats don't expect to have left winger Stephane Goulet back in the lineup tonight. He missed the past five games with a minor knee injury.

- The Remparts have established a new QMJHL record by drawing 123,827 fans so far in these playoffs.

The 2002-03 Halifax Mooseheads held the old playoff attendance record of 112,032.

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Heartbreak. Spell that with all capital letters.

The Moncton Wildcats squandered a pair of two-goal leads and lost 4-3 in overtime to the Quebec Remparts in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action last night in front of 14,700 fans at Le Colisee Pepsi.

That ties the best-of-seven championship series 2-2 with Game 5 set for tonight in Quebec City. The final two games of the President Cup final are scheduled for Sunday and Tuesday, both 7 p.m. starts at the Moncton Coliseum.

Brent Aubin beat Moncton goaltender Josh Tordjman with a screened shot on the power play at 8:48 of overtime to lift Quebec to the dramatic comeback win. It marked the third overtime contest in the series with the Wildcats escaping with victory the first two times.

The Wildcats held leads of 2-0 and 3-1, the latter with 13 minutes remaining in the third period, but watched it slip away against the highest scoring team in the league.

"This is a tough building for visitors to play in," said Moncton center Matt Marquardt. "We gave up a lead. Championship teams bounce back from things like this and I think sometimes you learn more from losses than wins.

"Maybe we deserved a better fate tonight. I don't know. But that's what the playoffs are all about - bouncing back from adversity. This has been a tough series and we're going to come back in here next game ready to go."

The home team has won every game in this series so far. The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead and the Remparts have bounced back to deadlock the series and they now clearly own the momentum.

"We've got lots of character on this team, lots of leadership," said Marquardt. "We've got a lot of guys who are hungry to win and know how to win. We didn't get 52 wins in the regular season by accident.

"We worked hard all season and we're a championship team. We're not down. We're not out by any means. Confidence is one of the strong points of our team. This game is over now and we're done thinking about it. We're focusing on Game 5 now."

Alexander Radulov notched two goals and two assists to spearhead Quebec. Mathieu Melanson, a Shediac native, had the club's other goal in regulation time and he added two assists.

Philippe Dupuis scored twice and added an assist for Moncton. Josh Hepditch had the club's other goal.

Dupuis and Tordjman, both 20-year-olds acquired in trades, had a tremendous game and appeared on the verge of leading the Wildcats to victory. Dupuis had a sour ending as he was serving a checking from behind penalty when the overtime goal was scored.

Quebec held a 49-26 shots edge, including 6-3 in overtime. On the power play, the Wildcats were 1-for-3 and the Remparts were 3-for-7.

Quebec held a 17-10 shots edge in the third period. Dupuis scored in the opening minute to give Moncton a 3-1 lead and things appeared to be in order for the visitors with that score still intact with 13 minutes remaining.

Radulov, the best player in the QMJHL, then took matters into his own hands and showed the talent that enabled him to win the scoring title. He cashed in on a rebound on the power play at 7:51 and struck again on a shot from the slot to pull the Remparts into a 3-3 tie at 9:15.

"We won the first two games of this series in overtime at home and it didn't seem to affect Quebec," said Moncton head coach Ted Nolan. "It's the same thing now for us. We've lost the last two games in their building and it shouldn't affect us.

"I mean we're in a marathon here. It's not a sprint. It takes four games to win. Right now, it's down to a best-of-three series and we've got home-ice advantage."

Quebec held a 12-8 shots edge in the first period. There were several good scoring chances at both ends and Moncton took a 1-0 lead into the intermission.

The Wildcats opened the summary on their first shot at 4:38. Dupuis picked up the puck along the boards, came out near the left faceoff circle dot and delivered a perfect pass between an opponent's legs to the far side of the goalmouth.

Remparts goaltender Cedrick Desjardins wasn't able to move across the crease quickly enough on the play. Hepditch picked up the pass and fired a close shot into the open side of the net.

Quebec carried most of the play and held a 14-5 shots edge in the second period. The clubs traded goals to leave Moncton with a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.

The Wildcats jumped ahead 2-0 on the power play at 7:09. Keith Yandle delivered a long pass from just inside the blueline to the far side of the goalmouth and Dupuis quickly fired a perfect shot into a small opening in the top corner.

Radulov was serving a penalty when the Wildcats scored that goal. He threw his stick on the ice from the penalty box in frustration after the goal, but didn't draw an additional unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

The Remparts pulled to within 2-1 on the power play at 15:58. Radulov fired a brilliant long pass from the boards to the far side of the goalmouth and Melanson cashed in for his league-leading 25th goal of the playoffs.

All that served as the backdrop for the Radulov show as he notched two goals and one assist in the third period and overtime to leave the hometown crowd in a loud party atmosphere. The Remparts improved to 9-2 at home and the Wildcats dropped to 4-5 on the road in the playoffs.

Radulov has 81 goals and 205 points in 83 games in the regular season and playoffs combined. He's only been held pointless in two games and he's now on a 21-game points streak in the playoffs.

Radulov has 53 points in 21 games in the playoffs. Simon Gamache of the Val d'Or Foreurs owns the record for most points in the QMJHL playoffs with 57 in 2000-01.

"Quebec's an offensively talented team," said Nolan. "I mean you look at Radulov, who single-handedly carried his team in the third period. I don't know if we contained him as well as we could've.

"That's one good thing about playoff hockey. I mean you're not going to walk through every series easily. That's why championships are hard to win. It's a long process."

The field of competitors is now confirmed for the 2006 Memorial Cup, which begins next Friday at the Moncton Coliseum. Moncton and Quebec will be joined in the four-team tournament by the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League and the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League.

Peterborough completed a four-game sweep of the 2005 Memorial Cup champion London Knights in the OHL final last night.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Hockey League is releasing 100 Memorial Cup ticket packages that it had on hold. Wildcats season ticket holders have the first opportunity to purchase these today only from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. by calling 382-5555 or by visiting the team's office on Main Street.

If there are any tickets remaining, they will go on sale to the general public tomorrow from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. This will be by phone only at the same number.

There are also 150 tournament standing room packages still available. Again, phone the same number or visit the team's office on Main Street.

If Moncton captures the President Cup, it will have the right to take on the schedule for the QMJHL champion or for the host team in the Memorial Cup. The club has already decided to go with the QMJHL champion's schedule.

That means the tournament would open with Quebec against Peterborough next Friday at 8 p.m. Moncton would then begin play against Vancouver on Saturday at 8 p.m.

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I predict Vancouver to win the Memorial Cup. I think the team that will be toughest for them are the Peterborough Petes.

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The Moncton Wildcats are making a living out of sudden death.

Martins Karsums capped off an outstanding performance by his club by scoring just 13 seconds into sudden-death overtime to lift Moncton to a 3-2 victory over the Quebec Remparts in an intense Quebec Major Junior Hockey League thriller last night in front of 15,342 fans at Le Colisee Pepsi.

The Wildcats notched their third win of the championship series in sudden-death overtime. That leaves them with a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven President Cup final.

The Wildcats will have an opportunity to capture their first championship in Game 6 tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Moncton Coliseum. Game 7, if necessary, will be on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Moncton Coliseum.

As the Wildcats boarded their bus to head to the airport, a large group of Moncton fans were celebrating and broke into a large chant of "Sunday night, Sunday night!"

Karsums emerged as the hero by scoring on the only shot of overtime. He streaked down the left wing, hit the goalpost and then stuffed the rebound over the goal line with Remparts goaltender Cedrick Desjardins laying on the ice after falling down on the play.

It was the 14th goal of the playoffs for Karsums, including his league-leading sixth game winning marker. It was the 50th playoff triumph in Moncton franchise history and none were bigger than this one given that the club has never been so close to hoisting the President Cup.

Moncton was No. 1 and Quebec No. 2 in the QMJHL during the regular season and they were also the top two clubs - in the same order - in the final Canadian Hockey League rankings. The championship series is living up to all the hype with four of the five games decided in overtime.

"Both teams are playing great," said Karsums. "It's back and forth action, lots of great scoring chances and both goalies are playing amazing. Both teams want the championship bad and we're both battling hard for it.

"This was an exciting game to play in tonight. I'm going to remember this one for all my life."

As of last night, there were approximately 5,000 tickets sold for Game 6 tomorrow at the Moncton Coliseum. That's about 2,000 less than the building's capacity.

The stadium box office is open today from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and tomorrow from noon until game time. Tickets are also available at participating Irving Mainways and Frank's Music in Champlain Place.

The Wildcats have drawn 52,164 fans in the playoffs and will establish their 22nd franchise record of the season tomorrow. The franchise's playoff attendance record of 53,200 was set in 2003-04.

"There's a perception that all our playoff games are already sold out and that's not the case," said Wildcats general manager Bill Schurman. "We still have lots of tickets available.

"Everyone knows that tickets are scarce for the Memorial Cup and I think that's why there's a perception that our playoff games are sold out, too. We're trying to get the word out that we have lots of tickets still available for Sunday."

Philippe Dupuis scored both goals for Moncton in regulation time. The Wildcats finished with a 32-24 shots edge and improved to 15-5 in the playoffs - the breakdown is 10-0 at home and 5-5 on the road.

Alexander Radulov and Jordan LaVallee countered for Quebec, which dropped to 9-3 at home in the playoffs.

On the power play, Moncton was 1-for-4 and Quebec was 1-for-3.

"I think it says a lot about our team that we were able to bounce back after a tough overtime loss on Thursday night," said Dupuis. "We've got an older team and a lot of guys have experience.

"Even when they scored to make it 2-2 in the third period, we were still confident. These are two great teams and it's really tight with four of the five games going into overtime. That proves what a great matchup this is. This is the closest series I've ever played in for sure.

"It takes a lot of character to win these type of games. I'm sure this is great hockey for the fans to watch. I think both teams are really showing they want to go to the Memorial Cup as champion of our league."

Quebec held a 12-10 shots edge in the first period. The top scorer for each team did some damage and it was tied 1-1 at the intermission.

The Remparts opened the summary on the power play at 14:33. Wildcats goaltender Josh Tordjman couldn't move across quickly enough on the play and had little chance as Radulov let go a bullet one-timer slapshot from the right faceoff circle dot for his 21st goal of the playoffs.

The Wildcats struck back with a beauty at 16:28 as Keith Yandle fed a pass to Dupuis. Dupuis went down the right wing, made a nifty deke move at the side of the net and then from a very sharp angle he tucked the puck between the goaltender and just inside the near goalpost.

This was a goal scorer's type of goal. Not many would've had the skills, imagination or composure to execute such a play.

Moncton came out very strong in the second period and dictated most of the play, but there was no reward for its efforts.

The Wildcats owned a 13-4 shots edge and generated most of the good scoring chances. The Remparts had to feel fortunate that it was a scoreless frame and still a 1-1 tie after 40 minutes.

The third period featured outstanding action and good scoring chances at both ends. It was evenly played with an 8-8 shots total.

The Wildcats grabbed a 2-1 lead on the power play at 1:55. Dupuis finished off a scrambly play in front of the net by chipping the puck over Desjardins, who was laying on the ice.

The Remparts made it 2-2 on a controversial goal at 13:09. The Wildcats asked for video review thinking that LaVallee directed the puck into the net with his skate, but referee Guy Pellerin stuck with his initial ruling and allowed the goal.

"We made some adjustments for this game and you have to give our kids a lot of credit," said Wildcats associate coach Danny Flynn. "Quebec has scored five even-strength goals in five games.

"To hold a team that has as much offensive power as them to an average of one even-strength goal per game, that really speaks well of our play without the puck. Our goaltending has been very strong. These are the kind of games we have to win - hard-fought, low-scoring games.

"There's lots of character on this team. We have a lot of kids that love the challenge and love the competition. They responded well to the challenge tonight and we're really proud of them."

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Game 6: Quebec vs. Moncton on Aliant Web TV - Sunday night at 7 pm http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php

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tied 1-1 in the 2nd!

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2-1 for the wild cats at the end of the 2nd .

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It's a fabulous view from up here.

The Moncton Wildcats are finally sitting on top of the mountain and they have every right to enjoy the scenery. They completed their climb and captured their first Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championship with a thrilling 3-2 win over the Quebec Remparts last night in front of a noisy sellout crowd of 6,990 at the Moncton Coliseum.

"Definitely, it's the most exciting and special moment of my life right here for sure," said Wildcats captain Christian Gaudet amidst the on-ice celebration and a standing ovation that shook the building.

"It's unbelievable seeing all the hard work that we put into this since training camp last summer and now it's all paying off. It's definitely an accomplishment that we have to appreciate."

Moncton won the best-of-seven President Cup final 4-2. Four of the games went into overtime with the Wildcats winning three of them.

The Wildcats became the second club from the Atlantic region to capture the QMJHL championship. The 1998-99 Acadie-Bathurst Titan also hoisted the President Cup.

The Wildcats finished with 16 wins and five losses in the playoffs and that included perfection with victories in all 11 home games.

"We were undefeated at home in the playoffs and definitely the fans had a big role in that," said Gaudet. "They were like a seventh player for us. I think we should really thank them because they were definitely loud and behind us."

Moncton established a franchise attendance record for the playoffs by drawing 59,154 fans. The old mark of 53,200 was set in 2003-04.

Jerome Samson, Philippe Dupuis and Martins Karsums scored for Moncton, which held a 29-24 shots edge. Karsums led the league with seven game winning goals in the playoffs, including three in the league final.

Michael Sersen and Marc-Edouard Vlasic countered for Quebec. The Remparts have captured the President Cup five times, but not since 1975-76.

On the power play, Moncton was 0-for-5 and Quebec was 1-for-3.

The 2006 Memorial Cup opens on Friday at the Moncton Coliseum. The four-team tournament will feature Moncton, Quebec, the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League and the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League.

Quebec will meet Peterborough on Friday at 8 p.m. in the tournament opener. Moncton will begin play against Vancouver on Saturday at 8 p.m. and there's still some tickets available.

There was a high voltage atmosphere in the building throughout the contest. Fans gave a standing ovation and there was a sea of red Thunderstix clapping noisily in the air as the hometown squad skated onto the ice through the giant inflatable cat.

The Thunderstix noise continued during the national anthem and fans broke into a loud chant of "Go Cats Go" before the opening faceoff. This was truly an atmosphere to cherish and a night to remember.

"Robert Irving has been a great owner since Day 1," said Gaudet. "Ten years he's been waiting for this. It's fun to finally be able to deliver a championship for him. He's a tremendous team owner. He supports us and gives us everything we need."

Moncton held an 8-7 shots edge in the first period and it was tied 1-1 at the intermission.

The Remparts scored on their first shot of the game to quiet the atmosphere, but only temporarily. Sersen beat Wildcats goaltender Josh Tordjman on a shot from the slot at 2:07.

The Wildcats responded well and showed no letdown after giving up an early goal. Samson fired a wrist shot from the edge of the goalmouth into the top corner over the shoulder of Remparts goaltender Cedrick Desjardins to make it 1-1 at 6:48.

Moncton owned an 11-9 shots edge in the second period. It had most of the good scoring chances, overcame two disallowed goals and then scored late to grab a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.

The Wildcats had a goal disallowed at 12:49 because the puck was highsticked into the net and moments later they hit the crossbar on the same power play. They had another goal disallowed at 18:44 because the puck was directed into the net with a skate.

The Wildcats finally scored a goal that counted at 18:58 of the second period to grab a 2-1 lead. Dupuis showed his sharp-shooter skills as he beat Desjardins with a 25-foot wrist shot that slipped between the goaltender and the short-side goalpost.

Moncton held a 10-8 shots edge in the third period and there was plenty of tension-packed moments until the final second ticked off the scoreboard.

The Wildcats grabbed a 3-1 lead at 8:44. Adam Pineault took a shot from a bad angle, the puck bounced off the goaltender high in the air and Karsums charged the goalmouth area to tap in the rebound on a scrambly play.

The Remparts pulled to within 3-2 on the power play at 10:21 and had other good scoring chances after that, but couldn't beat Tordjman.

The Remparts had a goal disallowed at 12:19 because the puck was highsticked into the net. Referee Francois Fortin turned down their request to have the play go to video review.

Ted Nolan was National Hockey League Coach of the Year with the Buffalo Sabres in 1996-97 and then didn't coach at the competitive level for eight years. He came back into the spotlight last April by signing a one-year contract with Moncton.

Nolan now owns the distinction of being the only head coach to win a championship in both the QMJHL and OHL.

"For the fans here in Moncton who have been loyal to this team for the past 10 years, this is a great day for them," he said. "Then you look at our owner Robert Irving. I don't think there's a better owner in hockey - period.

"I'm really proud of this group of players. There's a lot of players on this team that most people never heard of before this season. This is a special group of kids and they're very deserving of all the success we've had so far.

"Any time you win a championship it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears. We've worked hard for this since training camp last summer."

This is the third QMJHL championship in the five-year career of Moncton center Philippe Dupuis. He won his first two titles with the Gatineau Olympiques.

"At the beginning of the season, we all said we wanted to go to the Memorial Cup through the front door as league champion," he said. "We didn't want to be in the tournament just because we're the host team. We wanted to earn our way and prove ourselves.

"We're the champion of our league and we'll take some time to celebrate and enjoy this, but then we have to re-focus.

"We still have a big job ahead of us trying to win the Memorial Cup so we have to get back to business as usual quickly and make sure we're ready for that because it's going to be another big challenge."