MOOSE ROUGHED UP IN SYDNEY
02/18/2016
The Halifax Mooseheads dug themselves a hole in the first period that they never had a chance to climb out of in a 9-2 loss to the Screaming Eagles on Thursday night at Centre 200 in Sydney.
The Herd allowed four first period goals with Duncan MacIntyre, Evgeny Svechnikov, Maxim Lazarev and Giovanni Fiore all finding the back of the net against Halifax starter Kevin Resop as the Eagles had their high octane offense on full display.
Things got worse in the second period for the young Moose as first star of the game Pierre-Luc Dubois and Lazarev notched back to back short-handed goals to make it a 6-0 contest.
The Herd got one back as Brett Crossley knocked in a puck from the side of the net for his second goal of the season. Assists went to linemates Anthony Sorrentino and Kelly Bent.
Cape Breton scored their second power play goal of the game when Michael Joly hammered home his 38th of the season to open up a 7-1 advantage. Joly sits second in QMJHL goals scored, trailing only Michael Carcone of Drummondville who has scored 42 times.
Cooper Jones jumped on a rebound just 22 seconds after the Joly goal as the Mooseheads rookie scored his second of the season to round out the scoring for the visitors. Arnaud Durandeau and Max Fortier picked up the assists.
Massimo Carozza and Giovani Fiore tacked on another two goals for the seventh overall Screaming Eagles who clinched a playoff berth with the win.
Dubois was named first star with one goal and three assists, Lazarev was handed the second star with two goals and one assist while MacIntyre’s goal and assist earned him third star honours.
Cape Breton (30-22-5-1) has six players with more than 20 goals this season; Joly 38, Dubois 33, Svechnikov 28, Lazarev 26, Carozza 26 and Fiore 24.
The Mooseheads fall to 17-33-6-1 and remain six points back of the idle Acadie-Bathurst Titan for the final playoff spot with 11 games remaining on the Halifax schedule. The teams will meet twice down the stretch. Blainville-Boisbriand pulled one point ahead of the Titan after a shootout loss to Charlottetown on Thursday.
The Mooseheads return to home ice on Saturday night when they entertain the Islanders at 7pm.
The Herd will also play at home on Sunday afternoon at 3pm against the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Fans are asked to bring a non-perishable food item on Sunday for the Purolator Food Drive. Click here for details.
Tickets for both games are on sale now at the Ticket Atlantic Box Office at Scotiabank Centre, select Superstore Outlets, www.TicketAtlantic.com or by phone at 902-451-1221.
