Halifax Mooseheads head coach Andrew Lord has spent the first month of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) season trying to turn his team into a cohesive unit. Unfortunately, the team has had a revolving door of players due to injuries. Despite the issues of retooling, injuries, and a new coaching staff, Halifax has had some successes this season. They had a solid start with four consecutive wins to kick off the season and have had some stellar individual performances that have led to wins.
Related: Halifax Mooseheads Retool for 2024-25 Season
The team returned from a difficult road trip where wins were not in the cards, but now, they begin off a four-game homestand. There’s hope that home cooking and rest can help the club find some wins, and see the roster return to full health. The opening weekend of the homestand provided the fans with some exciting moments.
Moosheads’ Gutsy Win Over Huskies
The Mooseheads kicked off their homestand on Friday, Nov. 1, hosting 2023-24 scoring champion Antonin Verreault, the only QMJHL player to get more than 100 points on the season (107) and his Rouyn Noranda Huskies. The game started as one would expect from a team settling in at home, as Halifax was a little sluggish and disorganized. They seemed nervous as they kept trying to do too much, with several small errors that led to turnovers the Huskies turned into scoring opportunities.
Rouyn threw wave after wave of pressure on the attack, yet goaltender Mathis Rousseau stood tall and shut the door. The Huskies controlled the pace of play for the entire first period, which continued for most of the game. The Mooseheads didn’t get a shot on goal until 12:00 into the first, and it was their only shot of the frame.
The second period wasn’t much different as the Huskies sensed some hesitation, but that didn’t last long as Liam Kilfoil took matters into his own hands after he was the target of a very heavy hit. He was back the next shift and returned the favour, then continued playing a more physical game.
Braeden MacPhee followed that up with a few energy shifts to get the crowd abuzz with some big hits and scrums after the whistle. Rookie and hometown boy Danny Walters scored his first goal on home ice when he converted a stellar pass on a two-on-one from fellow rookie Amelio Santini at the midway point of the second period. Meanwhile, Rousseau remained perfect
It gets stranger
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…