SAINT JOHN (New Brunswick) — William Dufour scored four goals in a 19-55 period. The host Saint John Sea Dogs reached the Memorial Cup championship, defeating Shawinigan Cataractes, a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League rival, 5-3.
“To complete my…” [junior] Dufour said, “A career like this is so wonderful.” “We still have one game to win. We are just going for it.”
Shawinigan, QMJHL winner, will take on Hamilton, Ontario Hockey League winner, Monday night in the semifinal. The winner will then face Saint John in Wednesday’s final.
Shawinigan’s lead of 3-0 was erased by Dufour with a natural trick in the second. He scored at 2:02 and 2:23, respectively, and 8:38. Jeremie poirier gave the Sea Dogs a lead on a power-play with 5:48 remaining. Dufour then struck again at 1;57 of the third.
After scoring 56 goals and finishing the regular season with 116 points, the 6-foot-3 Dufour was selected by the New York Islanders in the fifth round.
Loris Rafanomezantsoa scored Shawinigan’s first goal at 49 seconds. Olivier Nadeau made it 2 with 5:27 remaining in the period. William Veillette added 43 seconds.
Saint John was saved 26 times by Nikolas Hurtubise. In round-robin play, the Sea Dogs won two games and lost in overtime.
This event, which was cancelled in the last two years because COVID-19 caused havoc in the United States, features the winners and hosts of the major junior leagues.