North American Juniors

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

(10)Val-d’Or Foreurs 4 @ (7)PEI Rocket 3 (3OT)
Val-d’Or wins best-of-7 first round series, 4-2

D Artem Sergeev, VDO: 0-1-1, E, 0 PIM, 4 SOG, 5 Hits
Playoff totals: 6 GP, 2-2-4, +3, 0 PIM
Season totals: 55 GP, 6-33-39, +20, 65 PIM

Cedrick Henley (Sabres) scored on the power play in the third overtime to give Val-d’Or to a 4-3 and advance the Foreurs in the QMJHL playoffs. Artem Sergeev had four points in the series and five hits in Game 6. His team will take on fellow Lightning prospect Cedric Paquette and the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in Round 2. Nikita Kucherov (Rouyn-Noranda) will face his former team, Quebec in the second round.

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Tanner Richard to a three-year, entry-level contract, vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman announced today.

Richard, 19, has skated in 52 games this season with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, recording 11 goals and 62 points to go along with 94 penalty minutes. The 6-foot, 183-pound forward ranks first on the Storm and ninth in the OHL in assists with 51 and was third on his team with a plus-18 rating. Richard also played in five postseason games against the Kitchener Rangers, registering three assists and six penalty minutes.

The Jona, Switzerland native has appeared in 95 career OHL games, all with Guelph, collecting 24 goals and 110 points with 140 penalty minutes. He also represented Switzerland at the 2013 IIHF World Jr. Championships in Russia, posting four assists and plus-two rating in six tournament games.

Richard was originally drafted by the Lightning in the third round, 71st overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

(9)Drummondville Voltigeurs 4 @ (8)Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 6
Rouyn-Noranda wins best-of-7 first round series, 4-1

W Nikita Kucherov, R-N: 2-1-3, +2, 0 PIM, 7 SOG, 1 Hit, *Second Star*
Playoff totals: 5 GP, 3-6-9, +7, 4 PIM
Season totals: 33 GP, 29-34-63, +17, 14 PIM
With R-N: 27 GP, 26-27-53, +18, 12 PIM
With Quebec: 6 GP, 3-7-10, -1, 2 PIM

Nikita Kucherov (pictured) scored twice and Jean-Sebastien Dea (undrafted) had a hat trick to lead the Huskies to the second round of the QMJHL playoffs. Rouyn-Noranda rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to win.

(3)Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 3 @ (14)Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2
Blainville-Boisbriand wins best-of-7 first round series, 4-1

C Cedric Paquette, BLB: 1-1-2, -1, 0 PIM, 5 SOG, 1 Hit
Playoff totals: 5 GP, 2-3-5, +1, 4 PIM
Season totals: 63 GP, 27-56-83, +29, 103 PIM

The Armada advanced to the second round with a 3-2 win over the Titan. Cedric Paquette tied the game at two late in the second period on the power play. B-B won the game in the third period.

(7)PEI Rocket 1 @ (10)Val-d’Or Foreurs 3
Val-d’Or leads best-of-7 first round series, 3-2

D Artem Sergeev, VDO: 1-0-1, +2, 3 SOG, 3 Hits
Playoff totals: 5 GP, 2-1-3, +3, 0 PIM
Season totals: 55 GP, 6-33-39, +20, 65 PIM

Val-d’Or took a 3-1 series lead with a big 3-1 home win on Friday. Sergeev scored his second career playoff goal, into an empty net while shorthanded. Game 6 is Sunday in Charlottetown.

Ontario Hockey League

(W5)Sudbury Wolves 1 @ (W4)Brampton Battalion 0 (OT)
Sudbury wins best-of-7 Western Conference Quarterfinals, 4-1

D Dylan Blujus, BRAM: 0-0-0, -1, 0 PIM
Playoff totals: 5 GP 2-2-4, E, 2 PIM
Season totals: 68 GP, 2-27-29, -8, 57 PIM

Brampton started back-up goalie Jake Smith, and the move nearly worked as he carried a shutout into overtime. Sudbury, who was outshot 10-5 in the extra session, advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals with the win. Blujus played his last game in Brampton as the team is moving to North Bay next year. Blujus will return to juniors next season. After a slow year offensively, he came in the game’s final two weeks and in the playoffs. He remains a prospect to watch in the Lightning system.

(W5)Guelph Storm 2 (W4)Kitchener Rangers 4
Kitchener wins best-of-7 Western Conference Quarterfinals, 4-1

C/W Tanner Richard, GUE: 0-0-0, E, 2 PIM
Playoff totals: 5 GP, 0-3-3, E, 6 PIM
Season totals: 52 GP, 11-51-62, +18, 94 PIM

Richard’s junior career ended on Friday night as the Storm fell to division rival Kitchener, 4-2. The Rangers won the series, 4-1. Richard, who was brought to the Lightning-Leafs game last week, can join the Syracuse Crunch, who are desperate for forwards, should the Lightning decide to sign him or coordinate a tryout agreement with the Crunch. Richard had a fine year, setting career highs in assists, points, plus/minus, and penalty minutes.

Ontario Hockey League

(W4)Brampton Battalion 4 @ (W5)Sudbury Wolves 5 (OT)
Sudbury leads best-of-7 Western Conference Quarterfinals, 3-1

D Dylan Blujus, BRAM: 1-1-2, -1, 0 PIM
Playoff totals: 4 GP 2-2-4, +1, 2 PIM
Season totals: 68 GP, 2-27-29, -8, 57 PIM

Sudbury won their third game in a row in the series, downing the Battalion in overtime, 5-4. Brampton had fought back from 3-0 and 4-1 deficits to force extra time. Game 5 is Friday back in Brampton, which could be the final game in the building as the team is moving to North Bay next year.

(W4)Kitchener Rangers 2 @ (W5)Guelph Storm 1
Kitchener leads best-of-7 Western Conference Quarterfinals, 3-1

C/W Tanner Richard, GUE: 0-1-1, E, 0 PIM
Playoff totals: 4 GP, 0-3-3, E, 4 PIM
Season totals: 52 GP, 11-51-62, +18, 94 PIM

Ducks pick John Gibson stopped 40 of 41 Guelph shots to lift Kitchener to a 2-1 Game 4 victory. Tanner Richard had an assist for the second consecutive night. Guelph made it a 2-1 game half-way through the third period on the power play, but couldn’t come all the way back from a 2-0 deficit. The Rangers can close out the series at The Aud on Friday night.

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

(8)Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4 @ (9)Drummondville Voltigeurs 3 (OT)
Rouyn-Noranda leads best-of-7 first round series, 3-1

W Nikita Kucherov, R-N: 1-1-2, +3, 0 PIM, 4 SOG, 0 Hits, *First Star*
Playoff totals: 4 GP, 1-5-6, +5, 4 PIM
Season totals: 33 GP, 29-34-63, +17, 14 PIM
With R-N: 27 GP, 26-27-53, +18, 12 PIM
With Quebec: 6 GP, 3-7-10, -1, 2 PIM

Nikita Kucherov scored his first career playoff goal at 7:43 of overtime, lifting the Huskies to a 4-3 win and a 3-1 series lead. He also added an assist and was plus-3. Kucherov was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the goal, apparently for taunting. R-N can close out the series at home on Friday.

(3)Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 4 @ (14)Acadie-Bathurst Titan 1
Blainville-Boisbriand leads best-of-7 first round series, 3-1

C Cedric Paquette, BLB: 0-1-1, +1, 2 PIM, 3 SOG, 1 Hit
Playoff totals: 4 GP, 1-2-3, +2, 4 PIM
Season totals: 63 GP, 27-56-83, +29, 103 PIM

The Armada skated to a 3-0 lead before the Titan scored early in the third period. B-B added an empty net goal late. They can close out the series on Friday on the road.

(7)PEI Rocket 0 @ (10)Val-d’Or Foreurs 4
Best-of-7 first round series tied, 2-2

D Artem Sergeev, VDO: 0-0-0, +1, 3 SOG, 3 Hits
Playoff totals: 4 GP, 1-1-2, +1, 0 PIM
Season totals: 55 GP, 6-33-39, +20, 65 PIM

Val-d’Or evened their series with PEI, posting a 3-0 shutout win on Wednesday night. Undrafted, 6-6 goalie Philippe Trudeau had a 31-save shutout. Game 5 is Friday in the Foreurs home arena. Games 6 and 7, if necessary, will be back on the island.

Ontario Hockey League

(W2)Barrie Colts 8 @ (E7)Kingston Frontenacs 2
Barrie wins best-of-7 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, 4-0

D Jake Dotchin, BAR: 0-1-1, +2, 2 PIM
Playoff totals: 4 GP, 0-2-2, +3, 10 PIM
Season totals: 66 GP, 4-18-22, E, 81 PIM
With Barrie: 28 GP, 2-6-8, -1, 42 PIM
With Owen Sound: 38 GP, 2-12-14, +1, 39 PIM

Jake Dotchin became the first Lightning prospect to advance in the playoffs when his Colts crushed the Fronts, 8-2, on Wednesday. Dotchin finished the series with two assists and 10 penalty minutes.