North Division Quarterfinals Preview: Ville-Marie Pirates vs. Le Becard de Senneterre

The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL) North Division Playoffs are set to begin, and one of the two opening-round matchups features the No. 3 seed Ville-Marie Pirates taking on the No. 6 seed Le Becard de Senneterre in a best-of-three series. The action gets underway on Friday, February 21st, at Frere Arthur Bergeron Arena in Ville-Marie at 8 p.m., followed by Game 2 on Saturday, February 22nd, at Andre' Dube Sport Centre in Senneterre at 8 p.m. If necessary, Game 3 will be played Sunday, February 23rd, back in Ville-Marie at 7 p.m.

Regular Season Recap

Ville-Marie enters the series as the clear favorite after finishing the regular season with a 27-14-1 record, good for 55 points and third place in the division. They closed the season on a five-game winning streak and boasted a strong 199 goals for and 157 goals against.

On the other hand, Senneterre endured a challenging season, finishing 8-31-3 with only 19 points and riding a ten-game losing streak into the playoffs. The biggest concern for Le Becard is their defensive struggles, as they allowed 286 goals, the most in the division, while scoring just 152.

Regular Season Series

Ville-Marie dominated the season series, going 11-0-0 against Senneterre. However, the Pirates were pushed to overtime once, showing that Le Becard can make games competitive. Despite their struggles, Senneterre has proven they can hang with top teams, forcing Bradford, Wasaga, Ville-Marie, and West Nipissing to overtime at least once this season.

Key Players to Watch

Ville-Marie Pirates

• Mathis Bernard (F) – Led the Pirates in scoring with 72 points (31G, 41A) in 35 games.

• Danick Latour (F) – Another offensive force with 66 points (24G, 42A) in 28 games, leading the team in points per game (2.25).

• Emeric Gaudet (D) – A former QMJHL defenseman, Gaudet put up 46 points (10G, 35A) in 24 games and is a potential X-factor in the entire North Division playoffs.

• Maxim Audet (G) – Posted a 12-4-0 record with a 3.13 GAA and .907 SV%, the most reliable goaltender in this series.

Le Becard de Senneterre

• Jacob Robert (F) – Led the team with 40 goals and 63 points in 38 games, including 15 power-play goals.

• Jordan Paul (F) – Balanced offensive contributor with 29 goals and 0assists (59 points) in 32 games.

• Gabriel Furlong (F) – Playmaking specialist with 36 assists and 45 points in 24 games.

• Nathan Dery (G) – North Division leader in saves (856) and Senneterre’s best hope in net, despite a 6.47 GAA and .859 SV%.

What It Will Take to Win the Series

Ville-Marie Pirates:

For the Pirates, staying disciplined and capitalizing on their offensive depth will be key. They must avoid complacency against an opponent they dominated all season. Goaltender Maxim Audet will need to remain steady, and if Ville-Marie’s top scorers perform as expected, they should control the series.

Le Becard de Senneterre:

Senneterre’s path to an upset lies in goaltending and special teams. If Nathan Dery can steal a game with a standout performance and their power play—led by Jacob Robert—converts at a high rate, they can make this series interesting. Staying out of the penalty box and limiting defensive breakdowns will be crucial to keeping games close.

This series will be a test of whether Ville-Marie’s dominance continues or if Senneterre can pull off a shocking upset. The battle begins Friday night in Ville-Marie.