Moose Escape Charlottetown with a Shootout Victory
November 17, 2023 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Halifax Mooseheads News Release
The Mooseheads have made it nine consecutive wins to keep their hot streak alive, but the Herd didn't make it easy on themselves in a 4-3 shootout victory on the road against the Charlottetown Islanders on Friday night.
Some late heroics from Markus Vidicek secured the win as the 19-year-old forward scored twice before adding the only goal from either team in the shootout.
Halifax jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period but some sluggish play led to a surge by the Isles in the final two periods as the home squad worked their way to a 3-2 advantage. Vidicek tallied with just 34 seconds remaining to force overtime and combined with goalie Mathis Rousseau in the shootout to help the Moose continue the streak.
Rousseau stopped 31 shots in the game in addition to all three Islanders shooters en route to being named the first star. Charlottetown dominated the shot clock by a final total of 34-21 as the Mooseheads failed to reach double digit shots in any period and managed just four in a rough second stanza that saw Charlottetown score twice to tie the game.
Markus Vidicek opened the scoring 3:03 into the contest when he tossed the puck at the net from a tough angle only to watch it deflect off Isles defender Owen Conrad and over the line. Reece Peitzsche added to the lead about five minutes later when Yannik Ponzetto spotted him with a perfect pass on an odd man rush to put the Herd up 2-0.
Conrad beat Rousseau with a beautiful shot at 6:28 of the second period to shift the momentum. The Islanders carried the period with 13 shots on goal and were able to bring the contest back to even footing on a Giovanni Morneau tally. The game remained a deadlock at 2-2 until Marcus Kearsey got the 2,699 fans cheering at Eastlink Centre with a toe drag goal during a bit of chaos in front of Rousseau that gave the Islanders their first lead. Coach Jim Midgley brought Rousseau to the bench in the dying minutes in favour of the extra attacker and Vidicek pounced on a Brady Schultz rebound at the side of the net and stuffed it in to rejuvenate the visitors.
After a quiet overtime that saw both teams play it safe, the Mooseheads forward scored on his team's second attempt and Rousseau stopped all three Islanders players including a nice poke check on Kearsey to seal the win and send his team piling over the boards.
Halifax played without the injured Lou Levesque and Logan Crosby who are both out with upper body injuries. Levesque is out indefinitely after suffering an injury late in Sunday's home win over Cape Breton. Crosby was also hurt in that game and is listed as day-to-day.
The Mooseheads improve to 17-4-1-0 and remain the hottest team in the QMJHL. Halifax heads to Acadie-Bathurst to meet the Titan on Saturday night at 7pm.
The next home game for Halifax is coming up on Thursday, November 23rd at 7pm when the Moose will host Baie-Comeau in a showdown of the QMJHL's two top teams. Thursdays are Student Nights in Moose Country with tunes by DJ Codak and $10 tickets for students! Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.ca.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 17, 2023
- Islanders Outplay the Mooseheads But Lose in a Shootout 4-3 - Charlottetown Islanders
- Moose Escape Charlottetown with a Shootout Victory - Halifax Mooseheads
- CHL's Top Team Comes to Town as the Isles Take on the Mooseheads - Charlottetown Islanders
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