Sportsnet CHL Saturday Showcase: Gatineau at Halifax
Two teams trending in the right direction go head-to-head on Sportsnet as this week’s instalment of the CHL Saturday Showcase features the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques and host Halifax Mooseheads.
The CHL Saturday Showcase returns to the Maritimes as the second place 38-13-6-1 Mooseheads enter the weekend on a four-game winning streak.
NHL scouts have had plenty to watch in Halifax this season as top draft eligible prospects Filip Zadina (39-30–69), Benoit-Olivier Groulx (24-23–47), defenceman Jared McIsaac (8-33–41) and goaltender Alexis Gravel (16-8-4-1, 3.34, .889) continue to garner attention as the playoffs draw nearer.
Halifax is led in scoring by Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Otto Somppi whose 75 points (25-50–75) are good for third in the QMJHL while fifth-year veteran Maxime Fortier (28-38–66) is currently second in all-time Mooseheads career scoring with 261 points. New York Islanders prospect Arnaud Durandeau (17-29–46) has also been productive of late, entering the weekend on a seven game point streak.
Across the ice, the Gatineau Olympiques are wrapping up a three-in-three east coast road trip with stops in Bathurst, Moncton and Halifax. They’ve won five straight games, scoring at least four goals in each of those victories.
Giordano Finoro (14-21–35) rides a six-game point streak into Friday’s action while 18-year-old Shawn Boudrias (23-30–53) leads the Olympiques in scoring this season. Veteran captain Alex Breton (9-30–39) leads offensively from the back end while goaltender Tristan Bérubé has been among the QMJHL’s best throughout the season, going 22-11-1-3 with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage over 40 games.
Gatineau is in the thick of things in the QMJHL standings, holding a 31-20-3-3 record for 10th place. They’re within three points of seventh and look to continue to climb in the standings with a strong showing on Saturday.
RJ Broadhead and Sam Cosentino bring the action from coast-to-coast on Sportsnet when the puck drops at 4:30pm AT/3:30pm ET.
100TH MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP TOUR COMES TO HALIFAX
The prestigious Memorial Cup will be in Halifax for this weekend’s action as part of the 100th Mastercard Memorial Cup Tour taking place across the country. The trophy was on board the HCMS Charlottetown on Friday while also making a stop at the IWK Health Centre, the Halifax Convention Centre and the 5th Canadian Division Headquarters.
Some of the brave folks from HMCS Charlottetown sharing a special moment with the @MCMemorialCup #Halifax2019 pic.twitter.com/cEaEp3e34G
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) February 23, 2018
Members of the #MightyMaroonMachine gather around the #MCMemorialCup trophy at the 5th Canadian Division Headquarters as part of #CHL’s #MMC100 Tour to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the #MemorialCup. #GoMooseGo #Halifax2019 @HFXMooseheads pic.twitter.com/VYNWWK4uL0
— 5thCanadianDivision (@5CdnDiv) February 23, 2018
Thank you @HFXMooseheads for bringing the #MCMemorialCup to the IWK today. Good luck in the bid for #Halifax2019! pic.twitter.com/UV111cBOeT
— IWK Health Centre (@IWKHealthCentre) February 23, 2018
