Shavingin Cataractes took the points against Sherbrooke Phoenix with a 3:2 victory in QMJHL action on Thursday evening. The result keeps the hosts in third place after six matches, though the table remains fluid at this stage of the season. By then, the Cataractes had already established a pattern of two wins and two losses in their opening series.
Things came to a head in the final moments as the visitors chased the game. The Cataractes held firm to extend their unbeaten run to four, bouncing back from a pair of heavy defeats against Drummondville Voltigeurs earlier in the week. That run of seven goals conceded in two games had raised questions, but the defence found its shape when it mattered.
Phoenix arrived with momentum from their own recent form. They had beaten Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 4:3 and followed up with back-to-back victories against Victoriaville Tigres, including a 3:1 win. Yet those results carried no weight in the standings — the visitors have not played a competitive fixture yet this campaign.
What the numbers show is a home side finding its rhythm after a shaky start. Three wins from six games puts them level on points with several clubs, though the gap at the top remains undefined. The Cataractes will return to action next week, hoping to build on the confidence of this result.
For Phoenix, the opening game of their season starts now. Five matches in the past month suggest they have been playing exhibition fixtures, but nothing counts until the whistle blows on the real campaign. The table will fill up quickly, and this match gives them a benchmark to measure against.
The goal difference sits at plus-one for Shavingin after the win, while the visitors carry a minus-one from their exhibition results. Those figures mean little on their own, but they set the tone for what comes next in the QMJHL standings.