Resilient Victory in Baie-Comeau
Published on October 13, 2023 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Halifax Mooseheads News Release
Rookie Liam Kilfoil scored a magnificent overtime goal on Thursday night in Baie-Comeau to help the Mooseheads push their winning streak to six games. The Herd shook off a literal last-second regulation goal from the Drakkar in yet another fine display of gumption by this squad, and Halifax skated to a 3-2 victory.
The young forward - Kilfoil circled around neutral ice with the puck before darting down the right wing during the three-on-three extra period and cut across the top of the crease to wait out goalie Olivier Ciarlo and roofed a forehand shot up and under the bar to secure the win. The goal gave the Mooseheads a sigh of relief after the Drakkar had fought back to tie the game 2-2 and force overtime on a Justin Gill tally with 1.2 seconds remaining in regulation. Baie-Comeau blocked a would-be goal into an empty net by Lou Levesque in the preceding moments and Gill made the Herd pay as he banged in the equalizer.
Levesque scored the opening goal of the game to keep his personal hot streak going with nine points in his last six games. He lit the lamp on a first period power play that was the result of Mathieu Cataford taking a high stick to the face. Cataford played the remainder of the game with a full face shield. Forward Reece Peitzsche put Halifax ahead 2-0 at the 15:55 mark of the second period off a fantastic pass by Yannik Ponzetto on an odd-man rush.
The Drakkar cut their deficit in half just a couple of minutes after the Peitzsche goal when Justin Poirier scored only 10 seconds into a power play to make it a 2-1 game.
It was an intense and physical game all night long at the Centre Henry-Leonard and the win came at a cost for Halifax. Forward Logan Crosby was hit hard into the corner boards by 6-foot-5 defenceman Emile Chouinard in the first period and he was forced to leave the game with an upper body injury. He was being reassessed after the game. Crosby stayed down on the ice for several moments and was helped to the bench and then to the room by athletic therapist Melanie Landry. Chouinard was again the centre of attention late in the third period when he drove Brody Fournier headfirst into the side boards in front of the Mooseheads bench. A hit that had Fournier's teammates infuriated. He was given a two-minute penalty for boarding.
Goalie Mathis Rousseau continued his stellar play and the reigning QMJHL Player of the Week picked up the second star of the game with 33 saves. He was under siege for large portions of the game, but his ability to make big saves time and again only gave his unflappable teammates more confidence.
Ponzetto finished with two assists as did Brady Schultz while Brody Fournier picked up the other helper.
The victory improves Halifax to a Maritimes Division best 6-2 record for 12 points. The Drakkar remain the top team in the QMJHL standings at 6-1-2 through nine games. The Mooseheads will continue their road trip on Friday night in Chicoutimi when they visit the Sagueneens at 8:30pm ADT. The trip wraps up on Sunday afternoon at 4pm ADT in Rimouski.
The Mooseheads will return home to Scotiabank Centre ice on Friday, October 20th against the rival Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and Saturday, October 21st versus Val d'Or. The first 3,000 fans at the game on the 21st will receive free 30th Anniversary T-Shirts. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.ca.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from October 13, 2023
- Close to 80 QMJHL Alumni Begin 2023-2024 Regular Season in the NHL - QMJHL
- Charlottetown Comes Home After Four-Game Road Trip for a Back-To-Back Weekend Set - Charlottetown Islanders
- Resilient Victory in Baie-Comeau - Halifax Mooseheads
- Voltigeurs Leave Town with 2 Points - Moncton Wildcats
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