Upset for the Ages: Mooseheads heading to Round 2
2025-04-08
No 16th ranked playoff team had ever won three games in a series, let alone pick up a series victory. Until now.
Your Halifax Mooseheads defied the odds and shocked the QMJHL by knocking off the reigning Gilles Courteau Trophy winners in Drummondville with a 2-0 shutout victory on the road in Game 7 against the Voltigeurs as Head Coach Andrew Lord’s hard-workers pulled off the unthinkable. The Volts were 38 points better than Halifax during the regular season.
Carlos Handel buried the game-winner late in the second period and Liam Kilfoil sealed the win with an empty net goal for his third tally of the series to send the Herd off to Round 2 of the playoffs where they will face the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies beginning on Friday night in the north-western Quebec city. Jacob Steinman had another stellar outing by earning the shutout with 38 saves while earning first star honours.
Each player on the Halifax roster can say they contributed in some form or another in the historical upset. Handel, Kilfoil and Steinman will stand out on the scoresheet but it was a top to bottom effort that produced the win. Whether it was Alec Nasreddine making a massive block in the dying minutes of action or the shutdown defence of Mathieu Taillefer, this team left it all on the ice and believed in one another to get the job done against a formidable opponent.
Can you Handel it?
Carlos opens the Game 7 scoring! #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/c7AjsJiz7n
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) April 9, 2025
The Mooseheads contained the high-powered Voltigeurs squad and played a patient game, waiting for their chance to pounce. The teams were evenly matched in the first period and went to the room in a scoreless tie through 20 minutes with Drummondville slightly ahead in shots 12-11. It was another even period in the second with eight shots aside but the Handel strike from the point at the 18:56 mark gave the Herd the all-important first goal and a chance to play with the lead in the final period. Captain Brady Schultz picked up the assist on Handel’s first career playoff goal. Schultz ended the series with six points.
A major momentum boost came in the second period when the officials called for a review and handed Shawn Carrier a double-minor for high sticking. The Herd managed to kill off the four minutes without allowing a goal and the game continued to trend in favour of Halifax as they gave the Volts fits throughout the match.
As expected, Drummondville pushed hard in the third period but the Mooseheads were unwavering in their defensive effort, backed by the rock solid Steinman who withstood a barrage of 18 Voltigeurs shots. Then, with goalie Louis-Felix Charrois on the bench for the extra attacker, Kilfoil lifted a backhand shot high down the ice from the centre line and straight into the net in the final minute of action – setting off a celebration on the bench. The Moose dug a little deeper to preserve the lead as the seconds ticked away and mobbed Steinman at the sound of the horn before shaking hands with the disappointed Voltigeurs who are led by former Mooseheads Head Coach Sylvain Favreau.
Liam with the KILLER to seal Game 7 from Drummondville. #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/2Rguo3e1un
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) April 9, 2025
So now it’s time to quickly prepare to face the Western Conference’s #2 seed in Rouyn-Noranda who finished off Gatineau in five games. The Moose will leave directly from Drummondville ahead of Friday’s Game 1 against the Huskies. It’s another 2-3-2 series format with Halifax hosting Games 3,4 & 5 at Scotiabank Centre next week. Tickets will go on sale Thursday morning at 11am at Ticketmaster.ca.
Round 2 Schedule Mooseheads vs Huskies
| DATE | AWAY | HOME | TIME |
| FRI. APRIL 11 | Halifax | Rouyn-Noranda | 8pm |
| SAT. APRIL 12 | Halifax | Rouyn-Noranda | 5pm |
| TUE. APRIL 15 | Rouyn-Noranda | Halifax | 7pm |
| WED. APRIL 16 | Rouyn-Noranda | Halifax | 7pm |
| *FRI. APRIL 18 | Rouyn-Noranda | Halifax | 7pm |
| *MON. APRIL 21 | Halifax | Rouyn-Noranda | 8pm |
| *TUE. APRIL 22 | Halifax | Rouyn-Noranda | 8pm |
*If necessary
All times ADT
