Val-d'Or Foreurs hosted Gatineau Olympique in the QMJHL on Thursday evening, but the visitors took all three points with a 4-2 victory. The match came on 28 August 2026, and it marked the beginning of the new campaign for both sides. Val-d'Or had already played three games this season while Gatineau had not yet taken to the ice, which made this a curious fixture for the league opener.
The scoreline reflected a game where the visitors found their rhythm quickly. Gatineau had been building momentum in their warm-up matches, beating Blainville-Boisbriand 5-2 before dropping a tight 3-4 contest. Val-d'Or, meanwhile, had shown flashes of brilliance with a 5-2 win over Rouyn-Noranda but followed it with a 0-3 defeat that suggested inconsistency at the back.
What mattered most on the night was how both teams handled the momentum. Gatineau camped in the final third and made Val-d'Or work for every chance. The hosts had opportunities to settle into the game but could not string together a run of possession. By then the visitors were two goals ahead and had turned the match into a question of managing the lead.
The standings tell a story of different starting points. Val-d'Or sits seventh with three games played and zero points accumulating from losses. Gatineau enters the table at sixth with nothing yet to record, but this result puts them ahead in the early standings. The draw brought them together in the sense that both teams now have a match under their belts.
Recent history between the sides adds another layer. The two clubs met twice in February, with Val-d'Or winning 4-2 and Gatineau taking a 2-1 victory. This time the visitors came away with something to show for their effort, and the win brought them together early in the season standings rather than leaving them adrift.
The result means Gatineau starts the campaign with momentum after a difficult August. Val-d'Or had hoped to build on their mid-season form but found themselves outplayed by a side that looked sharper. Three points on the board may not seem like much, but it is enough to keep the visitors within touching distance of the top half.