Blackhawks prospects Alexis Gravel and Jake Ryczek’s hopes to win the QMJHL President Cup with the Halifax Mooseheads ended with a 4-0 home loss to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Saturday afternoon at Scotiabank Centre.
Gravel made 31 saves on 34 shots, while Ryczek had two shots in the loss. Gravel, a 2018 sixth-round pick, was 14-8 with a 2.73 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in 23 playoff games. Ryczek, a 2016 seventh-rounder, had 13 assists in the same span.
Alex Gravel was unbelievable during this President Cup playoff drive. We are so proud. #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/YJ8S66OxUK
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) May 11, 2019
It’s the second QMJHL title for Rouyn-Noranda in three years, who won it in 2016 with Alexandre Fortin prior to him signing as an undrafted free agent with the Blackhawks.
Despite the loss, Halifax will play in the Memorial Cup as the host city for the annual round-robin tournament to decide the Canadian Hockey League champion. Rouyn-Noranda will join them in the tournament as the QMJHL champions.
The OHL and WHL champion spots in the Memorial Cup have yet to be decided, but could be claimed Sunday in a pair of Game 6s. Blackhawks prospect MacKenzie Entwistle and the Guelph Storm can advance by defeating the Ottawa 67’s for the OHL’s J. Ross Robertson Cup, while the Prince Albert Raiders can claim the WHL’s Ed Chynoweth Cup against the Vancouver Giants.