2006 RBC Cup

EAST REGION: The Joliette Action captured the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League title this season in just their second year of operation. At the Fred Page Cup, the Action upset the Pembroke Lumber Kings to advance to the 2006 RBC Royal Bank Cup. Two players scored 40 or more goals for Joliette this year, while four had 30 or more goals. Jonathon Dick led the QAAAJHL in regular season scoring with 115 points in 50 games, while David Poulin added 91 points in 51 games. Bobby Mazerolle led Joliette in playoff scoring with 28 points in 16 games before adding a team-high 10 points in five games at the Fred Page Cup. Joel Laliberte was the team’s top scoring defenseman with 41 points in 51 regular season contests, while goaltender Steve Hartley posted a 3.98 goals against average with a 16-5 record in the post-season.

Regular Season Record: 39-8-3-1 (1st in QAAAJHL Drolet Division)
Playoff Record: 16-5 (LHJAAAQ and Fred Page Cup Champions)
RBC Royal Bank Cup Titles: 0
Previous RBC Royal Bank Cup Appearances: 0

The QJAAAHL champions, l’Action de Joliette , will head to Pembroke as representatives of the QJAAAHL, where they will vie for the obtention of the Fred Page Cup, emblematic as Eastern Canada's Junior A championship. The tournament will take place from April 26th to April 30th at the Pembroke Memorial Center.

After just concluding its second season in the Morency circuit, l’Action de Joliette is fully deserving its participation at this prestigious round robin tournament. In its first season in the league in 2004-2005, l’Action has finished in 2nd place in the Drolet Division, 5th in the overall standings, with 61 points. After making a few changes to its band of players during the off-season the team management saw its efforts rewarded during the 2005-2006 campaign. Joliette had an excellent season, finishing first in the overall standings as well as in the Drolet Division with a record of 39 wins, 8 losses, 3 overtime losses and 1 shootout loss, for a total of 82 points in 51 games. L’Action has also dominated the league with the best home (21-4-1) and road records (18-8-3) while also leading for most goals scored with 271.

In the playoffs, Joliette proved once more that they were the number one team in the league this year. After getting a by pass for the first round, l’Action has played only 16 games to earn the league’s highest honor, the Napa Cup. In the quarter final series, Joliette easily disposed of the St-Lawrence College Lions 4 games to none. They then went on to defeat the Collège Français of Longueuil in the semi final 4 games to 2 before closing the playoff series in 6 games in the league final against the Collège Laflèche de Trois-Rivières.

For the Fred Page Cup tournament, the team led by Head Coach Dominique Ducharme, will be able to count on tow excellent goaltenders in Steve Hartley and rookie Mathieu Côté. Hartley, 20 years old, son of Atlanta Thrashers Head Coach, Bob Hartley, joined l’Action last January, where he took part to 14 games, compiling an excellent record of 11 wins and 3 losses, while maintaining a goals against average of 3:60. In the playoffs, he continued his outstanding play, recording 12 wins and 4 losses for a goals against average of 3:19. Mathieu Côté, who will turn 18 on June 3rd, played in 20 regular season games in which he has posted a 14-5 record including a 3:15 goals against average. On defense, Joliette can count on Michaël Dufresne who led the league this season in the plus minus category with a +45 as well as Joël Laliberté who finished first in scoring among the team defensemen with 8 goals, 33 assists and 41 points in 51 games.

Offensively, Joliette has two players who have scored 40 or more goals while four players reached the 30 or more goal plateau. Among these, the league's leading scorer and player of the year in the QJAAAHL, veteran center, Jonathan Dick, who completed of his career in fine fashion, with a record of 49 goals, 66 assists for 115 points in 50 games. The Action's offense contribution also came from, David Poulin, Bobby Mazerolle, Sebastian Gauthier and Jean-Philippe Beaulieu. Poulin, the team's 2nd leading scorer, 7th in the QJAAAHL, recorded 92 points in 51 games, including 42 goals. Bobby Mazerolle, 3rd best scorer on the team during regular season with 33 goals and 53 assists for 86 points has also dominated the scoring column during the playoffs, with 18 goals and 10 assists for 28 points in 16 games, which earned him the title of the playoff's most valuable player. Sebastien Gauthier, with 31 goals and 81 points, Jean-Philippe Beaulieu, 29 goals, 64 points, Renaud Laprise, with 55 points, including 39 assists, and Alexandre Lamarche with 21 goals and 46 points have all contributed to the Action's success this season.

During the 2006 Fred Page Cup tournament, champions from the Eastern Junior A leagues, that being the Maritime Junior A Hockey League, the Central Junior A Hockey League, and the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League, along with the host team, will face off in a round robin tournament. Joliette will play its first game Wednesday April 26th against the host club, the Pembroke Lumber Kings ay 7:30 PM. The Fred Page Cup champions will be crowned Sunday, April 30th and will then head to Streetsville, Ontario to take part in the Royal Bank Cup to determine the Canadian Junior A champions.