Moncton Wildcats vs Newfoundland Regiment

Newfoundland struck first at 11:10 of the opening period when S. Cadrin finished from W. Lundqvist and Z. Rushton to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Moncton responded inside three minutes — E. Mullen converted on the power play at 14:40, with N. Survilas and P. Abbott drawing the assists, and the first period ended 1-1.

Mullen struck again on the power play just 36 seconds into the second period — same set-up, Survilas and Abbott again — to put Moncton 2-1 ahead. Newfoundland's W. Shearer replied on a man advantage of their own at 9:15 (assist M. Beaudoin) to level the score at 2-2. L. McGuire restored the Wildcats' lead at 13:35, finishing from C. Giguere and M. MacPhee, and Moncton carried a 3-2 edge into the second intermission.

The third period was a sequence of quick answers. L. Sim tied it 3-3 for Newfoundland at 2:35 (assist T. Morin), but Moncton's J. Simpson struck back 56 seconds later at 3:31 from S. Dwyer to make it 4-3. F. Hache levelled for the Regiment again at 12:35 — his goal went unassisted — and the game sat at 4-4 with 7:25 to play.

McGuire broke the deadlock at 14:50, his second of the night from J. White and Dwyer, to put the Wildcats ahead 5-4. W. Manchuso added an insurance goal at 17:35 — unassisted, likely into an empty Newfoundland net — to stretch the lead to 6-4.

McGuire's go-ahead goal at 14:50 of the third period was the decisive blow. It came just 2:15 after Hache's equaliser and swung momentum back to Moncton before Newfoundland could build on their renewed energy. Manchuso's empty-netter 2:45 later removed any path back for the Regiment.

• L. McGuire (Moncton) — Two goals, including the game-winner at 14:50 of the third period. Found space in front of net on both occasions and finished cleanly. | Player of the Match
• E. Mullen (Moncton) — Two power-play goals (15' P1, 0:36 P2), both set up by the same combination of Survilas and Abbott. His early second-period goal gave Moncton its first lead.
• P. Abbott & N. Survilas (Moncton) — Each recorded two assists on Mullen's power-play strikes. The duo controlled the half-wall on the man advantage.
• F. Hache (Newfoundland) — Scored unassisted at 12:35 of the third to tie the game 4-4, the Regiment's most important goal of the night.

The game featured 10 goals on 0 penalty calls listed in the events — both power-play units went 2-for-2, suggesting special teams were the decisive factor. Moncton's power-play goals in consecutive periods gave them leads they built on, while Newfoundland's man-up goal kept them within touch. The third period was a straight five-on-five slugfest, where McGuire and Manchuso made the difference.

Moncton have now won six of the eight all-time meetings since this rivalry began in 2025. All eight fixtures have gone over 2.5 total goals — this one, at 10 total, comfortably extended that streak.

This was the first pre-season game of the 2026-27 QMJHL campaign for both sides. Moncton start their pre-season at 1-0; Newfoundland begin 0-1. The Wildcats return to Avenir Centre for another pre-season fixture on Saturday 22 August, while the Regiment's next pre-season outing is yet to be announced at time of writing. The regular season opens in late September 2026.

Pre-season results carry limited weight for standings, but the individual performances — particularly Mullen's power-play finishing and McGuire's clutch third-period strike — offer early indicators for Moncton's forward depth heading into camp.

A fittingly chaotic pre-season opener between two QMJHL sides finding their rhythm. Moncton's special teams edge and McGuire's timely finishing proved the difference against a Newfoundland side that refused to go away. The Regiment will take confidence from matching the Wildcats through long stretches, but will want to tighten up the PK after conceding twice with the man advantage.