Cats blank the Herd
2025-01-03
Caleb Desnoyers scored twice and Etienne Morin factored in on every goal by scoring once and adding two assists and the Moncton Wildcats shutout the Mooseheads 3-0 at the Avenir Centre on Friday night.
Halifax hung around all game and didn’t make it easy on the QMJHL’s leading team, but scoring chances were hard to come by for the Mooseheads. Their best opportunity came on a 2-on-0 rush where Caylen Blake held onto the puck and was denied by goalie Jacob Steinman, who made 27 saves for the shutout. Mathis Rousseau was solid at the other end with 27 saves of his own.
Desnoyers notched his team-leading 22nd and 23rd goals to stake the home team to a 2-0 lead through 40 minutes while Morin fired in a blast just 23 seconds into the third period to round out the scoring. Both teams were perfect on the penalty kill with Halifax killing off all five Moncton opportunities while the Herd went 0-3 on the man advantage.
17-year-old defenceman Justin Chiras made his Mooseheads debut after signing with the team earlier in the day. The Bedford, New Hampshire native was a -2 while paired alongside Eddy Doyle.
Halifax scratches included the injured Owen Phillips, Mathieu Taillefer, Logan Crosby and Cade Moser while Carlos Handel remains away with Germany after participating in the World Junior Hockey Championship. Nick Cirka dressed as the backup goalie to Rousseau and Jack Milner was a healthy scratch.
The teams will meet in a rematch on Sunday at Scotiabank Centre at 3pm. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.ca.
