Blake & Breton power Moose to OT win
2024-08-23
Caylen Blake had his skill on full display on Friday night for the Halifax Mooseheads in a preseason battle with Moncton. The 16-year-old, second round pick from June’s draft gave his team a 4-3 overtime win with a breakaway goal to end a back-and-forth game.
The young forward from Corner Brook, NL struck twice in the game to cap off an impressive first week at camp as a member of the Mooseheads. He and 18-year-old Justin Breton accounted for all of the goal scoring for the Herd as Breton also tallied twice in the second consecutive Halifax victory. Defenceman Dominic MacKenzie assisted on the overtime goal and finished the night with a pair of helpers.
Danny Walters, Gavin Sudds and Jameson George also had assists for the home squad. Walters also won 14-of-20 faceoffs.
Moncton hopped out to a 1-0 lead in the opening period on a goal by Halifax Macs product Easton Schlender. The Mooseheads pulled even early in the second period when the hard-working Breton struck with a shorthanded marker. The Cats regained their lead just 62 seconds later on a tally by, one of their top 2024 draft prospects, Niko El Khouri. Blake pulled the Herd even again at 2-2 when he chased down a loose puck in the neutral zone for a partial breakaway and beat goalie Xavier Farrah with a nice move to the backhand.
Breton then put Halifax in front for the first time in the game at the 2:45 mark of the third period when he rushed down the left wing and threw a puck at the net that squeaked between the pads of Farrah. The Moose held onto the 3-2 lead for most of the period until a pretty one from Moncton’s Cooper Cormier tied the game yet again with only 2:22 remaining in regulation.
Blake’s OT winner came 3:43 into the three-on-three extra period and sent the sold-out crowd home happy.
Five cuts were made on Friday morning to bring the Goodlife Fitness Training Camp roster down to 40, and another round of cuts are expected to be made on Saturday. The Mooseheads will take a break from preseason play until visiting the Wildcats on Friday, September 6th. The lone remaining home preseason game is scheduled for Friday, September 13th at 7pm against Cape Breton at RBC Centre.
