Vidicek’s hat trick gets Moose back in the saddle
2023-12-07
Markus Vidicek capped off a hat trick with a game-winning goal late in regulation and the Halifax Mooseheads snapped a three-game losing slide with an important 4-3 victory over the visiting Drummondville Voltigeurs on Thursday.
The Canadian World Junior hopeful hammered in the deciding goal with 2:05 remaining in the third period to break a 3-3 tie and help the Herd get back on track against the top team in the QMJHL’s Western Conference. Owen Phillips also scored in the win while Jack Milner made 28 saves to push the Moose record to 20-7-3 on the season.
Vidicek was one-of-four members of the Mooseheads named to Canada’s World Junior Selection Camp roster earlier in the week and picked the perfect time to further prove why he was deserving of the invite. He leads the team in goal-scoring with 22 goals on the season. The Kirkland, QC native scored twice in a span of 27 seconds in the first period to stake Halifax to a 2-0 advantage and was named the game’s first star. The Mooseheads were playing in their newly revealed red jerseys, dubbed “the 94’s” which pay homage to the original jerseys of the team from the inaugural 1994-95 season.
Drummondville opened the night just one point behind the Herd but saw their record fall to 18-9-3-1. The Volts had goals from Mikael Diotte, Luke Woodworth and Vsevolod Komarov and tallied twice in five chances on the power play.
The Mooseheads got assists from Jordan Dumais, Reece Peitzsche, David Moravec and Jake Furlong in the first of three-games-in-three days. The Herd will play another home game on Friday night vs Gatineau before travelling to Saint John on Saturday.
That's gonna be your game winner!
Hat Trick Markus Vidicek 🎩🎩🎩#GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/H9OHMQZ4hA
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) December 8, 2023
Vidicek, Dumais and Furlong will be joined at Canada’s camp by goalie Mathis Rousseau who sat out on Thursday with a minor lower body injury. The four players will depart for the Oakville, ON camp on Sunday. Affiliate goalie Thomas Fontaine of the Yarmouth Mariners was called up as the backup to Milner.
Antoine Fontaine sat out with an illness while Logan Crosby and Lou Levesque remained sidelined with injuries.
Friday’s home game versus the Olympiques will be the first Toque Toss in Moose Country in support of HRM homeless shelters. Fans are asked to bring a new toque, glove set or socks to toss onto the ice when the Mooseheads score their first goal. Tickets are on sale now at TicketMaster.ca
