PLAYOFFS HERE
best time of the year
The Titan Are Champions!
Titan 6 – Phoenix 4
Bathurst wins Championship Series 4-2
From the brink of elimination to league champions.
The Bathurst Titan completed one of the most memorable playoff runs in FQMJHL history on Day 6, defeating the Phoenix 6-4 on the road to capture the league championship.
After trailing the Drakkar 3-1 in the third round and staring down elimination, the Titan rattled off five wins in their final seven games and finished the job against one of the league's most dangerous offensive teams.
The championship trophy belongs to Bathurst.
Day 6
6 Titan 6 Phoenix 4
Championship Clincher
The Titan wasted little time showing they weren't interested in returning home for a Game 7.
Mathieu Cataford opened the scoring on the power play before Andrew Brown doubled the lead later in the first period, giving Bathurst a 2-0 advantage after twenty minutes.
Thomas Verdon added another early in the second period, and when Cataford struck again midway through the frame, the Titan had built a commanding 4-1 lead.
The Phoenix made one final push.
Vincent Élie, Nathan Baril, and Xavier St-Laurent all scored during a frantic third period, trimming the deficit to a single goal and bringing the home crowd back to life.
But Bathurst had one final answer.
Louis-Charles Plourde buried a massive insurance goal before Juraj Pekarcik sealed the championship with a late marker into the open net.
The comeback attempt was over.
The season was over.
The Titan were champions.
The Championship Heroes
⭐ Mathieu Cataford
When Bathurst needed a superstar throughout the playoffs, Cataford delivered.
In the championship-clinching game:
- 2 Goals
- First Star
- Opened the scoring
- Restored momentum in the second period
He finishes the playoffs among the league's scoring leaders and was the offensive engine behind the Titan's championship run.
⭐ William Lacelle
Every championship team needs a goaltender to make the big save.
Lacelle became that player.
After helping Bathurst erase a 3-1 series deficit against the Drakkar, he remained steady throughout the finals and closed the door when it mattered most.
His playoff performance will be remembered as one of the defining reasons the Titan lifted the trophy.
⭐ The Supporting Cast
The championship wasn't won by one player.
Throughout the playoffs Bathurst received huge contributions from:
- Thomas Verdon
- Justin Larose
- Juraj Pekarcik
- Louis-Charles Plourde
- Luke Woodworth
- Andrew Brown
Every key moment seemed to feature a different Titan stepping up.
PLAYOFF RECAP
Round One
The playoffs began with several tight first-round battles, but the eventual contenders quickly emerged.
The Oceanic, Mooseheads, Titan, Drakkar, Huskies, and Phoenix all advanced while establishing themselves as legitimate championship threats.
Round Two
The postseason intensity ramped up.
The Titan continued to build momentum while the Phoenix showcased the explosive offense that made them one of the league's most feared teams all season.
Meanwhile, powerhouses like the Oceanic and Mooseheads saw their championship dreams come to an end as the field narrowed.
Round Three
This was where Bathurst's championship identity was forged.
Down 3-1 in the series against the Drakkar, the Titan looked finished.
Instead they won:
Three consecutive elimination games.
Three consecutive victories.
A series comeback that completely changed the direction of the playoffs.
At the same time, the Phoenix survived a high-scoring battle with the top-seeded Huskies to punch their ticket to the finals.
Championship Series
Bathurst opened the series with a Game 1 victory and never fully surrendered control.
Series Results:
- Game 1: Titan 4-3
- Game 2: Phoenix 3-1
- Game 3: Titan 4-2
- Game 4: Titan 5-2
- Game 5: Phoenix 6-4
- Game 6: Titan 6-4
The Phoenix pushed back and forced a sixth game, but Bathurst ultimately proved too deep, too disciplined, and too resilient.
2025-26 FQMJHL Season Recap
The regular season featured dominant performances from clubs like the Oceanic, Mooseheads, Huskies, Phoenix, and Titan.
Individual stars lit up the league all year long, including:
- Vincent Élie (Phoenix)
- Noah Reinhart (Phoenix)
- Mathieu Cataford (Titan)
- Juraj Pekarcik (Titan)
- Antonin Verreault (Huskies)
- Justin Poirier (Phoenix)
But when the playoffs arrived, one team consistently found answers when facing adversity.
That team was Bathurst.
Final Thought
Champions aren't always the team that dominates from start to finish.
Sometimes they're the team that refuses to quit.
The Titan survived elimination.
The Titan won three straight against the Drakkar.
The Titan outlasted the Phoenix.
The Titan finished the job.
After an unforgettable postseason run, the Bathurst Titan are the 2025-26 FQMJHL Champions.
Congratulations to the Titan on an incredible season and a championship that won't soon be forgotten.
