In a game that was a must-win for the Drummondville Voltigeurs and the Moose Jaw Warriors, the teams did not disappoint the fans at the 2024 Memorial Cup. A game full of momentum swings was capped off by a last-minute shorthanded goal by Moose Jaw’s Aiden Ziprick to help push his team to the semi-finals with a 5-3 victory over the Voltigeurs. The Warriors saw strong games from a handful of players but were ultimately led by goaltender Jackson Unger and forward Brayden Yager once again.
Yager All Over the Ice
One of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ top prospects, Yager, once again stood out for the Warriors in the win. After being held off the scoresheet in their loss to the London Knights, he made his presence felt early on. Whether he was creating havoc on the forecheck or flying around the ice with the puck and making plays (either getting shots or making passes), he was the most noticeable player for the Warriors for most of the night.
His strong play and start was not rewarded until the second period when he made a slick pass over to Jagger Firkus while on the powerplay for a one-timer backdoor to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead. Between himself and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Denton Mateychuk, the puck movement was top-notch throughout the game between the two of them. Overall, Yager tallied three points, including an empty-net goal to help seal the deal for the Warriors. If he can replicate this kind of play in the semis, the Warriors will surely be a handful for whoever they play.
Voltigeurs Persistence Pays Off
Drummondville seemed to be on the wrong side of momentum throughout the first period and a half, with Moose Jaw able to put more pressure on the Voltigeur defense and goaltender Riley Mercer. But once they got their feet underneath themselves and got going, they peppered Warriors goaltender Jackson Unger with shots.
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While they could do so, they could not find a way to get a shot past Unger until their 21st shot of the game. But once they did, it seemingly opened up the floodgates a bit for the Voltigeurs. After falling behind 2-0 in the second period, Justin Cote finally got the Voltigeurs on the board thanks to a nice pass cross-ice for a backdoor shot that Unger did not stand much of a chance of saving. But that was just the start for Drummondville, as they would score once again less than a minute after Cote’s goal. They would continue to swing the momentum in their favor through the middle of the third period and get the game tied back up early in the third period. Overall, their persistence, sustained pressure, and a barrage of shots that the Voltigeurs could get on Unger finally paid off for them, but ultimately, they fell just short, thanks to the stellar play of the Moose Jaw netminder.
Unger Stands Tall
After the first two games, Unger had looked strong in the net for the Warriors but had given up the most goals of any goaltender in the round-robin portion. In the must-win game against the Voltigeurs, the 27th-ranked North American goaltender for the 2024 Draft was rock solid between the pipes. Outside of the second Voltigeur goal (a shot he probably would want another chance at), he made several huge stops for his team and helped keep them in the game when the Voltigeurs seemingly took over the momentum and had control of the game.
In total, Unger made 49 saves on 52 shots that he faced from the Voltigeurs, and he played a huge role in keeping his team’s season alive. If he can continue his strong play, he could find his draft stock rising heading into June’s draft.
Other Game Notes
- With his strong performance in the net, Unger earned Player of the Game honors.
- Ziprick’s game-winning goal marked just the second goal he has scored all season.
- Drummondville’s loss marks the first time since the 2010 Memorial Cup that a Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) team has not advanced to the semi-finals or finals of the tournament.
- Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus had a strong game for the Voltigeurs and tallied his first and only goal of the Memorial Cup.
- Matthew Savoie played a strong game for the Warriors and was able to get himself going offensively, albeit only recording an assist on Yager’s empty-net goal.
What’s Next for Both Teams
The QMJHL champions, the Voltigeurs, find their season coming to an end with the loss, while the Warriors await the loser of the May 29 game between the London Knights and Saginaw Spirit. They will play the loser of the game in the semi-finals on May 31.
