Mooseheads rebound in a big way in Quebec
2023-05-13
The Gilles Courteau Trophy Finals are all even at one game apiece after the Mooseheads bounced back in a big way versus the Quebec Remparts with a 6-3 win on Saturday night to earn a split of the first two games on the road.
First star Alex Doucet scored twice and added two assists as part of a much stronger offensive attack than they were able to muster in a Game 1 loss 24 hours earlier. Halifax fired 30 shots, 10 in each period, on goalie William Rousseau and came at the Remparts in waves, particularly in the second period when the Moose scored four goals to jump out to a 5-2 lead while erasing an early deficit. Quebec started strong by building a 2-0 advantage in the opening period before Doucet started some momentum for Halifax with a power play goal in the final minute of the period.
Whatever was said in the dressing room in between periods worked as the Moose looked like a rejuvenated group to start the middle frame. A little bit of skill and a little bit of luck helped them even the score 2-2 when Josh Lawrence shot the puck towards the net from a near impossible angle and Zach L’Heureux deflected the puck behind Rousseau and things were back to square one. Defenceman Jake Furlong came up with the biggest goal of his career just a couple of minutes later when he jumped up into the play and took a crossing pass from Mathieu Cataford and buried his first goal of the playoffs. The Mooseheads’ blitz kept coming with a second tally on the man advantage when blueliner Brady Schultz wired a shot from the point to increase the lead to 4-2 while a previously raucous crowd of 18,259 grew restless. Halifax tacked on their fourth goal of the period on a laser shot from Josh Lawrence from between the circles to make it 5-2 heading into the final 20 minutes of regulation.
What a time to get your first goal of the playoffs
???? Furlong (1) 5:28 2nd period
???? Cataford, Doucet | #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/usNsexSLLR— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) May 14, 2023
The third period saw the Moose continue to pressure while playing a responsible defensive game. Patrick Roy pulled his goalie with 5:48 remaining in the game. The tactic initially paid off as Justin Robidas scored his third goal of the series with the extra attacker on the ice, but Doucet later sealed the victory with an empty net goal to give the Herd a split on the road with Games 3 and 4 coming up this week in Halifax on Tuesday and Wednesday at 8pm at Scotiabank Centre. Tickets for both games are still available at TicketAtlantic.com.
Zachary Bolduc and James Malatesta scored the other Remparts goals. Josh Lawrence and Zach L’Heureux both finished with a goal and two assists each for Halifax. Mathis Rousseau made 21 saves between the pipes.
The win did not come without some cause for concern as defenceman David Moravec left the game in the first period with an upper body injury as he skated off in pain while favouring his elbow. He attempted a return in the second period but did not look comfortable and did not return. He will be re-evaluated and is listed as day-to-day. QMJHL MVP Jordan Dumais missed yet another game with an upper body injury and remains out indefinitely. Veteran defenceman Cam Whynot returned to the Mooseheads lineup for the first time since early in the semi-final series versus Sherbrooke and was a +2 in the victory.
