Big Bounce Back Ties Series
Published on April 15, 2023 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Halifax Mooseheads News Release
The Halifax Mooseheads bounced back in a big way on Saturday night at Scotiabank Centre with a dominant 7-1 victory over the Moncton Wildcats to even their quarter-final playoff series at one game apiece.
Josh Lawrence scored twice and had five points as the Herd played their most complete game of the postseason to date to rebound from a 4-1 Game #1 loss 24 hours earlier. This one was all Mooseheads from the drop of the puck with the final shots 37-14 in favour of Halifax while the Wildcats unraveled with frustration, giving the Moose nine power play opportunities.
Halifax exploded with five goals in the second period to bury the visiting Cats as 8,510 fans erupted in joy with each Mooseheads goal. Second star Zach L'Heureux got the ever important first goal of the game 7:02 into the contest when he redirected a Brady Schultz shot off the draw and the Herd went to the dressing room with a lead after 20 minutes of play. Lawrence picked up the first of his two goals in the early goings of the second period as he tucked in a wrap-around goal behind the unsuspecting Jacob Steinman. Moncton's lone goal came midway through the stanza off the stick of Trent Ballentyne to cut the Halifax lead to 2-1 but that seemed to only further motivate the Moose who poured on the pressure by scoring four goals in a span of 5:43 to extend the lead to 6-1 after 40 minutes of action. Lawrence netted his second of the night when his shot from the circle deflected off a body in front of Steinman to restore the two-goal lead on the man advantage. The lethal power play unit struck again 67 seconds later as Brady Schultz made a slick move with the puck at the blueline before ripping in his third goal of the playoffs. Captain Attilio Biasca made it a 5-1 game as Dumais fed the puck to the import forward in the slot and the building was shaking with excitement. Braeden MacPhee was called for holding late in the period but that didn't faze the home squad as Markus Vidicek picked up a loose puck to speed in on a shorthanded breakaway and finished in style with a beautiful goal to increase the lead to 6-1.
The third period was rough and tumble as the Wildcats resorted to trying to agitate the Mooseheads, resulting in several penalties on both sides. The teams combined for a total of 41 penalty minutes. L'Heureux laid an open ice hit on Yoan Loshing near the halfway mark of the final period and was given five minutes and a game misconduct for charging as the fans voiced their displeasure with the call after watching the replay on the big screen. Loshing left the game after being helped off the ice and did not return. Halifax sat back defensively for most of the period but managed to add one more goal for good measure as Evan Boucher drilled one home late in regulation for the 7-1 final.
Mathis Rousseau was not busy and made 13 saves for the win, while Steinman stopped 23 of 29 before getting the hook to start the third period with Vincent Filion making seven saves to close out the game. The series now shifts to Moncton for Games # 3 & 4 on Wednesday and Thursday night at the Avenir Centre. Game #5 will be held back in Moose Country on Sunday, April 23rd at 2pm at Scotiabank Centre. Game #5 tickets will go on sale on Tuesday morning at 11am at TicketAtlantic.com.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from April 15, 2023
- Big Bounce Back Ties Series - Halifax Mooseheads
- Cats Heading Home with Series Split, Home Ice Advantage - Moncton Wildcats
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