Solid Start Continues in Moncton
2024-09-29
If the first four games of the season have told us anything, it’s that the Halifax Mooseheads will not be an easy out no matter who they are facing. The Herd put in another terrific effort on the road against the Moncton Wildcats on Sunday afternoon and skated to a 4-1 victory to improve to a perfect 4-and-0 record…with all four victories coming away from home.
Mathis Rousseau was outstanding with 39 saves to earn the first star as the Moose knocked off a Wildcats team who not only have Gilles Courteau Trophy aspirations, but are considered to be one of the top contenders for the Memorial Cup. Halifax’s blue-collar work ethic shone once again as the team put in a solid defensive effort, piled up the hits and came up with opportunistic goals at the right times.
Rookie Amelio Santini got things started in the opening period when he picked up a rebound and wired in a tough angle shot from the goal line for his first career QMJHL goal. That gave the Herd a 1-0 lead at the 6:46 mark as Caylen Blake and Carlos Handel picked up the assists.
After Moncton tied the game 1-1 later in the period, it was Shawn Carrier getting the eventual game-winner against his former team when he tracked down a loose puck in the neutral zone and turned on the jets to bury a shorthanded breakaway goal early in the middle stanza. Carrier was dealt to the Mooseheads in an offseason trade that sent Markus Vidicek to Moncton. The unassisted tally made it 2-1 Halifax and that’s all that Rousseau would need in order to secure another victory.
“𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝘄𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿” pic.twitter.com/ySSbnP1ChK
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) September 29, 2024
Antoine Fontaine’s hot start to the season continued with his third goal in as many games coming in the third period. His insurance marker came at 8:17 and was assisted by Patrick McNab and Alec Nasreddine. Fontaine picked up the second star of the game honours. Liam Kilfoil capped off the goal scoring with an empty netter assisted by Santini.
The Mooseheads have one game to go on the opening five-game road trip before hitting the ice at Scotiabank Centre for the first time this season. Halifax visits Charlottetown tomorrow afternoon at 2pm. The Home Opener is set for Friday night at 7pm when the Herd welcome the Quebec Remparts at 7pm. The homestand will continue on Sunday, October 6th at 3pm against Mathieu Cataford and the Rimouski Oceanic. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.ca.
