saguenéens de chicoutimi are set to open the second round of the playoffs against the Remparts of Québec on Friday, with the first two games scheduled at the Centre Georges-Vézina in Chicoutimi. The Saguenéens de chicoutimi enter the series after a sweep of the Mooseheads of Halifax, while Québec arrives after a hard-fought first-round win over the Islanders of Charlottetown. The matchup carries a famous rivalry, but both sides are treating it as a fresh playoff chapter.
Top seed pressure, but no room for comfort
The Saguenéens de chicoutimi finished second overall in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League with 103 points, well ahead of Québec’s 71. They also handled the Remparts in every regular-season meeting, winning all eight games between the clubs. Still, head coach and general manager Yanick Jean is pushing a message of discipline rather than nostalgia.
Jean said the old hostility between the teams is not the force it once was, noting that many current players were too young to fully remember it. He added that the group will not be undone by either the rivalry or by overconfidence after the Halifax sweep. In his view, the key is simple: forget the first round, adjust to Québec’s solid defense, and stay focused on execution. The Saguenéens de chicoutimi have had only a short break since returning from Halifax, and that pause is now part of the test.
Québec arrives with momentum and a different rhythm
The Remparts come in with a more compressed timeline. They survived a seven-game battle against the Islanders and returned to practice only after that victory. Their group also earned the right to play in the second round through two road wins, a first for Québec since 2023.
On the ice, the numbers point to a clash of styles. Québec allowed 191 goals in the regular season, while the Saguenéens de chicoutimi gave up only 150, the best mark in the league. The Remparts will need low-scoring games if they want to challenge Chicoutimi, especially because the home side’s attack produced ten goals on 19 power-play chances in the first round. Québec, though, had strong penalty killing and will try to lean on structure and discipline.
Voices from both benches raise the stakes
Québec coach Éric Veilleux has praised the Saguenéens, going so far as to compare their puck control to a Montreal club. He also said they are one of the strongest teams he has coached against in the league. From the Chicoutimi side, Jean said the players know exactly what they need to do and that there is no room for distraction.
Remparts players also described a team ready to compete, even if they come in as the underdog. One player said the focus is on the group in the room and on trusting the system, while another pointed to the divided family ties that often come with this rivalry. The emotional edge is still there, but both benches are trying to channel it into structure rather than chaos.
Quick context and what comes next
The rivalry has a long history, and Friday’s opener brings it back to the center of the playoff picture. The first two games will be played in Chicoutimi, where the local crowd is expected to be especially loud.
The atmosphere should matter. The best regular-season attendance at Centre Georges-Vézina came against Québec on December 31, when 4, 699 spectators were counted, and a similar or larger turnout is possible. For the Saguenéens de chicoutimi, the next step is to turn rest, home ice, and recent form into an early series edge.
