Mooseheads Advance to Round 2 with Series Sweep
Published on April 5, 2023 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Halifax Mooseheads News Release
Alex Doucet has scored a combined 63 goals between the regular season and the playoffs, but it was his latest that was perhaps the most unlikely of the bunch and equally the most important. The Red Wings prospect scored a 3-on-5 shorthanded tally late in the second period for what stood up as the game-winner in a 3-2 Mooseheads victory in Cape Breton to secure a four-game series sweep of the Eagles.
Doucet finished off an odd-man rush with Josh Lawrence with the massive goal to turn a bad situation into a great one for the visiting Herd on Wednesday night. Halifax was facing some major adversity after Jordan Dumais was sent to the box on a questionable holding call, while Zach L'Heureux simultaneously hit Ivan Ivan with a cross check across the numbers and was given a two-minute minor along with a 10-minute misconduct after exchanging words with the officials. Cape Breton couldn't take advantage of the great opportunity and instead it was Doucet with the game changing play.
It was a tight final game of the series with the Eagles fighting back to tie the game on two occasions, but the Mooseheads shut things down in the final period of regulation thanks to the solid goaltending of Mathis Rousseau who made 29 saves in the clincher. Halifax jumped out to the lead in the first period on a Jordan Dumais strike at the 9:02 mark but Charles Boutin replied for Cape Breton 2:26 before the horn to tie it 1-1.
Markus Vidicek put the Herd in front once again early in the middle period with his fourth of the playoffs, but the Eagles had the answer off the stick of Olivier Houde to tie the game for a second time at 2-2. Doucet notched the series winner later in the period and the goalies were the story the rest of the way. Oliver Satny made his second start of the series for Cape Breton and was named the third star with 30 saves, including 12 in the final 20 minutes.
Doucet finished with a goal and an assist to grab the first star honours for the second straight night, while linemate Josh Lawrence had a pair of assists and was named the second star. The Mooseheads also got assists from call-up Dylan Chisholm and forward Mathieu Cataford. Chisholm joined the team this week from the Valley Wildcats as an emergency injury replacement and was needed right away with Dylan MacKinnon missing Game #4 with an illness.
Halifax will await the outcomes of the Moncton vs Baie-Comeau and Chicoutimi vs Rimouski series' to determine their next opponent. No matter what happens, the Mooseheads know that they will host Games #1 and #2 of Round 2 at Scotiabank Centre on Friday, April 14th and Saturday, April 15th at 7pm both nights. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday morning at 11am at TicketAtlantic.com.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from April 5, 2023
- Mooseheads Advance to Round 2 with Series Sweep - Halifax Mooseheads
- Eagles' Season Ends After 3-2 Loss to Halifax - Cape Breton Eagles
- Cape Breton Eagles - Cape Breton Eagles
- Cats Win 5-2 to Take First Round Series Lead - Moncton Wildcats
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