Islanders Add to Mooseheads Woes
Published on December 14, 2025 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Halifax Mooseheads News Release
A Mooseheads team that was without two of their top-four scoring forwards struggled to get anything going on Sunday in Charlottetown where the Islanders skated to a 5-1 victory.
Shawn Carrier was a late scratch with an illness while Quinn Kennedy served an automatic one game suspension for fighting in the final five minutes of a game with a two goal or more difference. Those two players have combined for 30 goals and 18 assists this season and left a gaping hole up front for the struggling Herd.
Charlottetown exacted some revenge on the Moose after Halifax defeated the Isles 5-2 on Thursday night at Scotiabank Centre. It was all Charlottetown this time as they got a hat trick from big Nathan Leek to go along with single tallies from Will Shields and Marcus Kearsey.
Connor MacPherson scored a shorthanded goal for the Mooseheads in the second period for his second tally in as many games. He also lit the lamp in Saturday's 5-1 loss in Moncton.
The Islanders started the game with a shorthanded goal of their own when Leek forced a turnover and slid in a backhand shot through the five-hole of goalie Nick Cirka. Shields made it a 2-0 game on the power play 5:55 into the second period. The Moose then immediately took another penalty but MacPherson was able to steal the puck and score on a shorthanded breakaway. The one-goal deficit was quickly erased by a motivated Charlottetown bunch as Kearsey increased their lead to 3-1 exactly two minutes after MacPherson had given Halifax some life.
The third period belonged to Leek and the Islanders as the 20-year-old from Alliston, ON scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season to put the Moose to bed. Leek was signed as a free agent out of Ontario prior to the 2024-25 season and has blossomed as an overage player this year. His four-point afternoon at the Eastlink Centre gave him 39 for the year to match his entire output from last season. He has reached that plateau in 29 fewer games this time around.
While Kennedy and Carrier were clearly missed, Halifax also played again without the services of key defencemen Mathieu Taillefer and Carlos Handle. Taillefer remains sidelined with a lower body injury but has started skating in warmup as part of his rehabilitation. Handle, the Montreal Canadiens draft pick, is attending Germany's World Junior training camp in Minnesota.
Some of the bad blood from Thursday's penalty-filled affair spilled over into Sunday's matchup and featured 10 unsportsmanlike penalties and two roughing calls all with just 22 seconds remaining in the game.
Nick Cirka stopped 30-of-35 shots while Donald Hickey picked up the win with 24 saves. The loss drops the Moose five points back of Charlottetown for third place in the Eastern Conference while Halifax falls from fourth place to sixth place in the conference.
Next up for the Mooseheads is a mid-week home-and-home series against the Saint John Sea Dogs. Halifax will visit TD Station on Wednesday at 7pm before returning to Scotiabank Centre the final time prior to the Christmas break on Thursday night in a rematch with the Dogs at 7pm. Thursdays are Student Nights in Moose Country with $10 tickets for students and $5 drink specials all game. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.ca .
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from December 14, 2025
- Leek Leads the Way as Islanders Cruise Past Mooseheads on Teddy Bear Toss Night - Charlottetown Islanders
- Eagles Sweep Weekend Set with Regiment - Cape Breton Eagles
- Regiment Drop 2-1 Decision to Eagles - Newfoundland Regiment
- Islanders Add to Mooseheads Woes - Halifax Mooseheads
- Islanders Look for Redemption against Halifax on Teddy Bear Toss Day - Charlottetown Islanders
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