Eagles Top Mooseheads for First Home Win of the Season
November 4, 2022 – Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – Cape Breton Eagles News Release
SYDNEY- In front of a spirited crowd at Centre 200, the Eagles picked up the first home win of the season over arch-rival Halifax Mooseheads.
The game didn’t necessarily offer its best in the opening 20 minutes, although it was played at a brisk pace, entirely five on five with good goaltending on both sides. The lone breakthrough came when Braeden MacPhee converted a pass from Liam Welsh to put the visitors in front.
Both teams would fail to score on their first power plays of the night in the first half of the middle period, but the Eagles would knot the game at even strength. Overage defenseman Trevor Thurston, making his Eagles debut after playing in the WHL & BCHL earlier in the season, jumped into the play and unleashed a heavy shot past Brady James.
Halifax regained the lead before period’s end, as Jake Furlong moved the puck to Jack Martin in the right faceoff circle and he pushed it through Nicolas Ruccia’s pads. However, special teams would finally come through in a game tying goal at period’s end. Cam Squires was able to retrieve his own rebound and put the tying goal over James in the final minute of the second stanza.
After some big saves from Ruccia early in the third period, it was time for the home side to take its first lead of the game. Ivan Ivan came up the left wing, was denied by James, but Cameron Henderson, called up for his first game as an Eagle, won the space in front of the net and put it into an open goal to give the Eagles the lead. Before the period was eight minutes old, the Eagles doubled their lead thanks to a point shot through traffic from Xavier Daigle.
The Mooseheads made a late push, doing so with some power play magic. At 15:37 Cape Breton’s Julien Hébert was sent off for tripping, and not even halfway through the power play Mathieu Cataford buried a shot by Ruccia. Things went from bad to worse for the Eagles as Ivan Ivan was whistled for a faceoff violation to send Halifax right back to the power play.
The Eagles were able to kill off the second minor. Halifax continued to press, but found themselves in their own penalty trouble as Stéphane Huard was given a five minute major for a check to the head on Samuel Johnson. Now short handed, James left the Halifax net to restore the five on five situation with 25 seconds to play.
Halifax buzzed around the Eagle end but couldn’t find an equalizer. In the dying seconds, Ivan Ivan cleared the zone and found Olivier Houde who put the puck in the open goal to give the Eagles a 5-3 victory.
Ruccia stopped 36 of 39 shots in the win. James turned aside 22 of 26 in the loss.
In addition to the debuts of Thurston and Henderson, the Eagles also recalled Tristan Sanchez who was making his Eagle debut. He registed zero points and took five faceoffs.
The Eagles are back on the ice tomorrow, and it’s a very special night- Chris Culligan night at the Nest as the Eagles host the Saint John Sea Dogs! Chris’s #7 will be raised to the rafters, just the second Eagle to have his number retired. Tickets can be purchased at https://bit.ly/3NCMuzZ Fans can use the promo code “culli7” to purchase tickets for just $7! They are also available for purchase in person at the Centre 200 box office and by the phone during box office hours at 902-564-2200
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