Moose Rally for Fourth Consecutive Win
October 6, 2023 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Halifax Mooseheads News Release
Halifax, NS - It's been an incredible week of hockey for the Halifax Mooseheads who kept rolling with a fourth consecutive win on Friday night thanks to a 5-3 victory over a tough Victoriaville Tigres squad.
The Herd improved to 4-2 on the young season as Brody Fournier scored twice, including the game-winner early in the third period on a solo-effort that saw him steal the puck off the stick of goalie Nathan Darveau behind the Tigres net and bury a wrap-around opportunity. Other goals came from Reece Peitzsche, Lou Levesque and an empty net tally by Mathieu Cataford with 1:13 remaining in regulation.
Goalie Mathis Rousseau earned the win between the pipes with 22 saves as he out-dueled the reigning CHL goalie of the year in Darveau. The Victoriaville netminder allowed four goals on 36 shots.
The Tigres silenced the Scotiabank Centre crowd fairly early on with goals from Tommy Cormier and Benjamin Vigneault in the opening 10 minutes of the game to take a 2-0 advantage. Halifax slowly gained back a little momentum and broke through when Peitzsche deflected home a point shot by Jake Furlong from the top of the crease at 19:13 of the first period. The Moose nearly tied it moments later when Cataford had a wide open net to shoot at, but Darveau made an early candidate for save of the year as he dove across the crease with the glove to catch what looked like a sure goal for the Vegas prospect.
With the crowd still buzzing from the late period momentum, Halifax kept the pressure coming and scored the next two goals to take a 3-2 advantage in the second period. Fournier's first of the game came at 10:31 when he knocked the puck in off a Markus Vidicek shot during a scramble at the top of the blue paint. Then it was rookie Lou Levesque's turn to keep his own personal hot streak going and he ripped one by Darveau for the first Mooseheads' lead of the night. The goal was Levesque's third of the season and gave him seven points in his last four games.
The first star of the game, Fournier, struck again early in the third period to put the Moose up by a pair. They held that lead for most of the final stanza until Cormier tucked a shot inside the post on the short-side with only 1:51 to play. The goal needed a lengthy review after it appeared to be offside but the officials determined that it was a good goal and the lead was down to 4-3. Darveau was pulled with 78 seconds remaining in regulation and he hadn't even sat down on the bench before Cataford slickly drilled the biscuit into an empty net from his own blue-line to seal the victory.
Neither team scored on the power play as Halifax went 0-for-3 and Victoriaville went 0-for-2. The loss dropped the Tigres record to an even 3-3 for the season while the Moose have surged to the top of the Maritimes Division thanks to their winning streak that began last weekend.
The Mooseheads will play at home again on Saturday night at 7pm when they host the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada at Scotiabank Centre. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.ca. The first 3,000 fans at the game will receive free Mooseheads fridge magnet schedules.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from October 6, 2023
- Baie-Comeau Beats the Isles in a Physical Battle 5-2 - Charlottetown Islanders
- Moose Rally for Fourth Consecutive Win - Halifax Mooseheads
- Eagles Top Armada 5-3 for First Home Ice Win of New Season - Cape Breton Eagles
- Scholastic Players for the Month of September 2023 Named - QMJHL
- Weekend Set against Baie-Comeau and Chicoutimi Gets Underway Tonight - Charlottetown Islanders
- Armada Make Lone Visit to Centre 200 on Friday Funday - Cape Breton Eagles
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