Sherbrooke Phoenix vs Shawinigan Cataractes

Shawinigan carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission after scoring in the opening period. The Cataractes, who had rallied from 2-0 down in the third period two days earlier before winning in OT, looked to replicate that comeback formula.

Sherbrooke levelled the score in the second period, and the teams entered the final frame locked at 1-1.

The Phoenix then seized control with three unanswered goals in the third period. Shawinigan managed a late consolation, but Sherbrooke's offensive surge left no doubt about the outcome, closing at 4-2.

Goal-scorer and assist details were not published by the QMJHL for this pre-season fixture.

Sherbrooke's opening goal of the third period shifted the game decisively. After 40 minutes of tight, even hockey, the Phoenix found a higher gear offensively, scoring what proved to be the winner and then adding insurance goals that forced Shawinigan out of their defensive structure. The 1-1 stalemate had held since the second period; breaking it early in the third changed the tactical dynamic entirely.

No official player of the match was designated. Sherbrooke's forward group was the difference, generating three third-period goals after mustering only one across the first two frames. The Phoenix goaltending steadied after conceding early, holding Shawinigan scoreless through the middle period — the stretch that gave Sherbrooke's offence time to find its rhythm.

The 4-2 final implies a comfortable Sherbrooke win, but the 1-1 deadlock through 40 minutes reveals a more competitive contest than the scoreline suggests. The Phoenix grew into the game period by period (0-1, 1-0, 3-1), while Shawinigan's inability to replicate their third-period comeback from the previous meeting proved costly.

From the broader H2H perspective: Sherbrooke and Shawinigan have now met 50 times across all competitions since 2021, with Shawinigan holding a 30-20 advantage. The fixture has averaged 6.84 goals per game historically — well above the 4-2 total here — and both teams have scored in 98% of meetings. This was a slightly more defensive affair by the series' goal-happy standards.

Sherbrooke (3-1-0-0 in pre-season, per CHL/LHJMQ standings) sit atop the Western Conference pre-season table. The Phoenix finished the 2025-26 regular season at 33-26-5-0 (71 points, 5th in the West) and lost in the first playoff round.

Shawinigan (3-2-0-0 in pre-season) hold third in the Western pre-season standings. The Cataractes went 35-23-2-4 (76 points, 4th in the West) in the 2025-26 regular season and reached the second round of the playoffs. The QMJHL regular season is already underway, having opened on 28 August, but both clubs continue their pre-season preparations alongside league play.

Sherbrooke's next fixture is unconfirmed at time of writing; Shawinigan also await their next scheduled outing.

A game of two distinct phases: tightly contested for 40 minutes, then blown open by Sherbrooke's third-period surge. The Phoenix's ability to flip the script from their OT loss two days earlier — holding firm defensively and exploding offensively in the final frame — suggests genuine growth within a single week of action. Shawinigan will want to address why their early control faded.