Clapperton scores winner as Armada advance to second round

Christopher Clapperton's power-play goal proved to be the difference as the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada eliminated the Acadie-Bathurst Titan from Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action Friday.

Clapperton broke a 2-2 tie at 4:01 of the third period in Game 5 as the Armada downed the Titan 3-2 to win their first-round series 4-1.

The 18-year-old also had two assists to finish the round with four goals and nine points in five games.

Marc-Olivier Roy also had a goal and two assists for Blainville-Boisbriand, which outscored the Titan 22-13 in the series, while Cedric Paquette scored once and set up Clapperton's winner.

Matthew Bissonnette and Raphael Lafontaine scored for Acadie-Bathurst, which bowed out of the playoffs in the first round for the second straight season.

Etienne Marcoux stopped 27 shots for the win, wrapping up the series with a 2.55 goals-against average and .902 save percentage. Jacob Brennan made 34 saves in defeat and finished with a 4.25 goals-against average and .863 save percentage.

The Armada went 2 for 4 on the power play while the Titan failed to score on four chances with the man advantage.

Heading into Game 5, Acadie-Bathurst only held a lead once all series and it lasted 12:42 in a Game 2 defeat. Its only victory was in Game 3 and came by way of a Zach O'Brien overtime goal.

Elsewhere in the QMJHL, it was: Chicoutimi 3, Quebec 1; Victoriaville 3, Moncton 2 (OT); Rimouski 2, Gatineau 1; Val-d'Or 3, P.E.I. 2 and Rouyn-Noranda 6, Drummondville 4.

At Bathurst, N.B., Lafontaine opened the scoring at 18:44 of the first period to give the Titan a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.

Roy responded for the Armada 9:53 into the second period, however Bissonnette restored Acadie-Bathurst's lead less than four minutes later.

It looked like the Titan were going to head into second intermission up a goal until Paquette scored on the power play at 17:26 to send the game into the third period at two goals apiece.

After Olivier Houle was sent off for roughing at 3:17, Clapperton made him pay with the eventual winner.

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Sagueneens 3 Remparts 1

At Quebec City, Charles Hudon scored twice and set up one more while Christopher Gibson stopped 39-of-40 shots as Chicoutimi kept its season alive by beating the Remparts, who lead the series 3-2

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Tigres 3 Wildcats 2 (OT)

At Victoriaville, Que., Philippe Maillet scored 32 seconds into overtime and Philippe Hudon scored twice in regulation as the Tigres eliminated Moncton in first-round action 4-1.

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Oceanic 2 Olympiques 1

At Rimouski, Que., Peter Trainor had a goal and an assist and Philippe Desrosiers turned away 17-of-18 shots as the Oceanic edged Gatineau, which still holds a 3-2 series lead.

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Foreurs 3 Rocket 1

At Val-d'Or, Que., Philippe Trudeau made 25 saves and rookie Nicolas Aube-Kubel's first-career playoff goal stood up as the winner as the Foreurs defeated P.E.I. to take a 3-2 series lead.

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Huskies 6 Voltigeurs 4

At Rouyn-Noranda, Que., Jean-Sebastien Dea scored three times and Sven Andrighetto had a goal and three assists as the Huskies downed Drummondville to move onto the second round with a 4-1 series win.