Moose rally only to fall in OT in Game #2
2023-04-30
The Halifax Mooseheads showed heart and determination on Sunday but wound up on the wrong end of a 3-2 final score in overtime as the Sherbrooke Phoenix took a 2-nothing lead in the best-of-seven semi-final series. To make matters worse for the Herd, they lost star forward Jordan Dumais to an upper body injury in the second period. The extent of the injury is not yet known and he was being reassessed after the game. Dumais gingerly made his way off the ice and straight down the tunnel following a hit along the boards.
Defenceman Tyson Hinds found some space through the backdoor and finished the game 8:45 into overtime with Ethan Gauthier setting up the game-winner.
Sherbrooke built up a 2-0 lead after dominating the opening period at Scotiabank Centre that saw the visitors put up 17 shots against just three for the Moose. Defenceman David Spacek put a high floater through traffic that beat a screened Mathis Rousseau 7:53 into the game and Jacob Brabenec followed it up with a power play tally just a couple of minutes later and the crowd of 8,263 fell silent.
Rousseau’s effort between the pipes was the only positive Halifax had going for them through 20 minutes of play as he kept his team in the game. The Mooseheads played a much stronger second period despite not getting anything to show for it but they started to gain some confidence and outshot the Phoenix 12-7. The loss of Dumais meant big-time minutes for the remaining forwards as the Mooseheads were down to 10 forwards after deciding to go with seven defencemen and 11 players up front to begin the game. Captain Attilio Biasca was out with the flu and Braeden MacPhee remains on the bereavement list following a death in the family.
The Herd found a way to dig even deeper in the final 20 minutes of regulation and finally broke the shutout bid from Olivier Adam when Mathieu Cataford took a pass from Jake Furlong to bury his shot from the bottom of the circle and the Mooseheads had life. Mathis Rousseau earned an assist on the goal and continued to kick everything aside while the Herd kept pushing until they tied it with Rousseau on the bench and 8.5 seconds showing on the clock as Alex Doucet parked himself at the top of the crease and deflected a perfect pass from Josh Lawrence to rattle the rafters.
The teams traded an even four shots in the extra period but it went the way of the Phoenix in the end and Sherbrooke will head home in control of the series with Games 3 and 4 set to be played on Tuesday and Thursday at the Leopold-Drolet Palais des Sports at 8pm ADT. Game #5, if necessary would be played in Halifax on Saturday at 2pm.
Rousseau was named the first star with 36 saves and one assist. Tyson Hinds grabbed the second star and Alex Doucet was named the third star. Final shots were 39-25 in favour of the Phoenix.