The Halifax Mooseheads faced off against the Moncton Wildcats on Saturday at the Scotiabank Centre, ultimately falling short in a shootout with a final score of 4-3. The game showcased an exciting exchange of goals, highlighting the competitive nature of both teams.
The first period began with Halifax taking the lead as Shawn Carrier scored on a power play, assisted by Carlos Händel. Carrier's impressive one-timer beat Moncton's goaltender Rudy Guimond. Just before the period expired, at 17:58, Moncton's Alex Mercier equalized the score with a close-range shot past Halifax's goalie Owen Bresson.
Later in the first, Mercier appeared to have scored again, but after a brief video review, the goal was disallowed due to an offside call, maintaining the 1-1 tie as the teams headed into the second period.
In the second period, the Mooseheads regained the lead with another power play goal, this time from Quinn Kennedy at the 5:50 mark. Kennedy ripped a shot from the left-wing faceoff circle, putting Halifax ahead once more. However, Moncton responded aggressively, with Preston Lounsbury scoring shorthanded. Lounsbury capitalized on a rebound after Bresson stopped Teddy Mutryn's initial shot, marking his fifth goal of the season.
Halifax managed to pull ahead again late in the second period. At 19:06, Connor MacPherson received a net-front pass from Daniel Walters and delivered a swift shot past Guimond, bringing the score to 3-2 in favor of the Mooseheads as both teams headed into the intermission.
As the third period unfolded, the game took a turn when Moncton's Gabe Smith was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for a blindside hit on Händel, which forced the German defenseman to leave the ice temporarily. Despite this setback, the Wildcats continued to fight back, eventually tying the game at 13:24. A penalty shot was awarded to Lounsbury after Malik L’Italien attempted to thwart his breakaway. Lounsbury executed the shot flawlessly, beating Bresson on the backhand to take the game into overtime.
Overtime proved to be intense but scoreless, leading to a shootout. Unfortunately for Halifax, they were unable to find the net during the shootout phase, while Moncton secured the victory, marking their 11th win of the season.
With this shootout loss, Halifax’s record now stands at 11-6-1-1. Individual performances were notable, as Shawn Carrier was named the first star of the game for his goal and an assist, while Preston Lounsbury earned the second star with two goals for Moncton. Goaltender Rudy Guimond received the third star accolade with 30 saves, playing a crucial role in his team’s victory.
The Mooseheads will look to bounce back quickly, as they return to action on Wednesday, November 19. They are set to face the Quebec Remparts in the first matchup of what will be a challenging six-game road trip. Fans can catch all the live action on 95.7 NewsRadio at 8 p.m. with Garreth MacDonald offering commentary.
