Cirka Stands Tall for 1st Career Win
2025-01-12
Rookie Nick Cirka made his first career start between the pipes on Sunday in Saint John, and the 16-year-old was brilliant for the Mooseheads with 33 saves in a 5-1 victory over the Sea Dogs. Liam Kilfoil had a massive afternoon in front of his hometown friends and family by scoring two goals and adding two assists.
The Quispamsis, NB native was named the first star of the game while Quinn Kennedy kept up his rapid scoring pace since joining the Herd at the deadline. He had one goal and one assist and has contributed nine points in eight games with his new team. Shawn Carrier and Patrick McNab had the other goals while defenceman Justin Chiras picked up his first career point with an assist on the McNab tally. Caylen Blake, Owen Phillips, Brady Schultz and Carlos Handel also had assists for Halifax and the Moose snapped a seven-game losing streak.
Cirka was rock solid from the start with his only blemish coming on a Sea Dogs power play when William Yared got credit for his 10th of the season after the puck deflected off a body in front of the rookie goalie.
Cirka kicks out the right pad for a big save! pic.twitter.com/0O38jJiBj5
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) January 12, 2025
The Mooseheads fired 39 shots at Dogs goalie Justin Robinson and beat him twice in the first period, twice in the second and capped off the scoring with an empty net strike from Kilfoil.
Halifax’s win is their 12th of the season and first in 2025 as the team improved to 12-21-6-0 before embarking on a road trip through Quebec later this week. The team will head out on Tuesday with stops coming up Wednesday in Rimouski, Friday in Drummondville and Saturday in Blainville-Boisbriand. The next home game for the Herd is Thursday, January 23rd at Scotiabank Centre versus Acadie-Bathurst at 7pm. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.ca
