Dynamic Debut for Denis in OT Win
January 7, 2024 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Halifax Mooseheads News Release
One of the newest Mooseheads acquisitions introduced himself to the fanbase in a major way on Sunday afternoon as Lou-Felix Denis scored the overtime winning goal in a 3-2 Halifax road win over Charlottetown.
Denis was added in a trade along with forward Jan Sprynar from Shawinigan on Saturday afternoon and the two players immediately hopped in a car and travelled to Halifax together in order to be available for the game against the Islanders. The 20-year-old Denis was named the second star and had a game-high seven hits.
Markus Vidicek and Mathieu Cataford also lit the lamp for the Herd and the team bounced back from Saturday's 4-1 loss on home ice against Moncton. The Mooseheads were once again without several regulars and were forced to start defenceman Owen Phillips among the forward group.
After a scoreless opening period it was Markus Vidicek getting the Mooseheads on the board 7:06 into the second period with his 30th goal of the season. First star Mathieu Cataford carried the puck down the wing and fired a hard shot that was kicked out by goalie Carter Bickle and onto the awaiting stick of Vidicek who easily buried the rebound. Charlottetown tied it 1-1 about five minutes later as Giovanni Morneau beat Jack Milner for his 13th goal of the season. The teams again traded goals in the third period with the Islanders taking their only lead of the game at the 4:48 mark when Ross Campbell's wrister was fired across the line to pump up the crowd of 2,744 at the Eastlink Centre. Neither team could come up with any real sustained momentum but the Moose put a couple of determined shifts together and Mathieu Cataford capped off a mad scramble in front of Bickle with the equalizer. Cataford found a wide open Brady Schultz with a backhand pass and circled around the net to wait for the rebound off the Schultz shot as four Islanders players collapsed into the crease.
The two goalies shutdown any other chances in regulation to force the extra period and the Mooseheads gained the edge when Cole Huckins took a high sticking penalty with 1:41 remaining. Denis scored on a rebound after Vidicek fired a shot through traffic and the newcomer quickly swiped the puck across the line after parking himself in front of Bickle.
Halifax was again without the injured Jordan Dumais who is in Columbus to have a nagging lower body injury evaluated after he reaggravated it during the World Juniors. Peter Reynolds sat out with an illness. Mathis Rousseau was given some extra rest and is at home in Quebec following the World Juniors. Cade Moser was out and is day-to-day with an upper body injury. Lou Levesque remains out indefinitely with an upper body injury and Logan Crosby is still sidelined by a lower body injury.
The win improves the Halifax record to 25-11-4-1 through 41 games on the season. The Moncton Wildcats kept pace with the Herd by defeating the Sea Dogs and remain only two points back of the Mooseheads. Next up for Halifax is a home game versus the reigning Memorial Cup Champion Quebec Remparts on Saturday night at 7pm at Scotiabank Centre. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.ca.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from January 7, 2024
- Dynamic Debut for Denis in OT Win - Halifax Mooseheads
- Isles Get a Point But Lose to the Mooseheads 3-2 in Overtime - Charlottetown Islanders
- Eagles Release Stahon, Bégin Clears Waivers, McPhee Claimed by Mooseheads - Cape Breton Eagles
- Eagles Release Stahon, Bégin Clears Waivers - Cape Breton Eagles
- Mooseheads Come to Town for Afternoon Affair at the Eastlink Centre - Charlottetown Islanders
- Free Agent Maxwell Jardine Added to Roster - Charlottetown Islanders
- Loshing, Desnoyers Power Wildcats to Road Victory - Moncton Wildcats
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