Sportsnet CHL Saturday Showcase: Halifax at Acadie-Bathurst
The Halifax Mooseheads and Acadie-Bathurst Titan do battle for Maritimes Division supremacy in this weekend’s edition of the Sportsnet CHL Saturday Showcase.
Catch the action from Bathurst, New Brunswick as the host Titan have their eye on the division-leading Mooseheads with just a handful of games remaining on the regular season schedule.
An evenly matched season series has two encounters remaining as the Titan enter play as winners of five straight, two points back of Halifax.
Jordan Maher (19-38–57) enters the weekend on a seven-game point streak while Anaheim Ducks prospect Antoine Morand (23-48–71) leads the Titan in scoring. Dynamic defenders Olivier Galipeau (23-45–68) and Noah Dobson (16-50–66) give Bathurst one of the most offensively imposing blue lines in the QMJHL as they boast the league’s second-ranked power play.
Forwards Mitchell Balmas (38-28–66) and Jeffrey Truchon-Viel (34-21–55) have been steady goal-scorers throughout the campaign as they’ll take Acadie-Bathurst’s fourth-ranked offence up against Halifax’s second-ranked offensive corps.
The 41-16-6-1 Mooseheads are having their best season since 2014 and enter the weekend with victories in each of their last two outings.
Top 2018 NHL Draft prospect Filip Zadina has shown time and again that the hype is certainly warranted as his 40 goals are tied for fourth-most in the QMJHL. Joined by Finnish playmaker Otto Somppi (28-52–80), Mooseheads franchise cornerstone Maxime Fortier (31-40–71), 28-goal scorer Raphael Lavoie and draft eligible attacker Benoit-Olivier Groulx (24-27–51), Zadina and company have put up a crooked number offensively more than a few times this season.
The Mooseheads and Titan have four points hanging in the balance between them as they’ll meet again in a regular season finale on March 17th in Halifax.
Catch Saturday’s action with RJ Broadhead and Sam Cosentino when the puck drops at 4:30pm AT/3:30pm ET, a game that can be seen across the country on Sportsnet.
100th MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP TOUR COMES TO BATHURST:
The 100th Mastercard Memorial Cup Tour stops in Bathurst this weekend on its tour across the country. The prestigious trophy will be in the building on Saturday when the Titan hosts the Halifax Mooseheads.