Quebec has booked itself a semifinal berth in the Canada Winter Games men's hockey tournament.
That possibility became a certainty Thursday night at Kin 2 when Quebec eliminated host B.C. from medal contention with a 6-3 victory.
Antoine Morand, touted as a potential first-overall pick in this year's QMJHL draft, led Quebec with three goals and one assist.
Down 5-2 to start the third period, B.C. responded with a power-play goal five minutes in from James Malm but that's as close as it got. Morand iced it with an empty-netter.
With the win, Quebec advances to a semifinal playoff tonight at 7 p.m. against Ontario. In today's other semifinal, Alberta faces Manitoba at 4 p.m. Both games are at CN Centre.
B.C. drew first blood 9:05 into the first period. Jordan Rasmussen got the puck at centre and chipped it ahead to Chase Stevenson, who unleashed a 40-foot wrister low into the net. Justin Almeida made it 2-0 for B.C. on a 2-on-1 chance set up by Brett Stapley after he stripped the puck away from Yan Aucoin. Quebec got on the board 13:40 into the first when Morand ripped a hard wrist shot in under the crossbar behind Jordan Hollett.
Joseph Veleno tied it for Quebec 3:43 into the second period, set up in the slot by Arnaud Durandeau. The power play then connected to give Quebec its first lead. Morand won a face-off in the B.C. end and drew the puck to Maxime Comtois, whose sharp-angle shot from the left wing beat Hollett. Morand added to the total with six minutes left in the period, jamming in a rebound from just outside the crease. Durandeau extended the lead to 5-2 late in the period.
Shots were 32-30 in Quebec's favour. Derreck Baribeau made 29 saves to earn his second win of the tournament.
The best B.C. can finish now is fifth.
Ontario hammered Saskatchewan 9-0 Thursday night at CN Centre to advance. Simon Boyko and Ryan McLeod each scored twice for Ontario while singles went to Ryan McLeod, Owen Tippett, Gabriel Vilardi, Brady Gilmour, Nick Suzuki and Markus Phillips.
In the afternoon quarterfinals, Alberta advanced with a 6-1 win over New Brunswick at Kin 2. Jaret Anderson-Dolan led the way for Alberta with three goals and Prince George Cougars draft pick Logan Mazerolle scored twice. Jeremy Klessens fired a single. Peyton Hoyt replied for New Brunswick. Ian Scott made 28 saves in the Alberta nets.
Manitoba defeated Nova Scotia 4-1 on goals from Brett Davis, Connor Dewar, Ian Briscoe, and James McIsaac. Kynan Berger was the Nova Scotia goalscorer. Dylan Muskew made 22 stops as Manitoba outshot Nova Scotia 36-23.
