Mooseheads even up series with Remparts

CHL TV

The Halifax Mooseheads are up to their old tricks again.

Just like in the semifinals against the Sherbrooke Phoenix, the Mooseheads dropped Game 1 of the Gilles Courteau Trophy final and Friday and that play carried over into the first period of Game 2. But then things took a turn in the second period.

Halifax scored four times in the middle frame on Saturday, stunning a soldout Videotron Centre and handing the Quebec Remparts a 6-3 loss - the No. 1 seed's first defeat in these playoffs.

Halifax has lost the first game in three of their of four playoff series. In that series against Sherbrooke, the Mooseheads lost Game 2 in overtime despite playing very well in the second and third periods. They went on to win the next four games - three of which were played in Sherbrooke.

The Mooseheads trailed 2-0 in the first period and were struggling to stay disciplined and create scoring chances. A late power play goal from Alexandre Doucet gave the Moose some life heading into the first intermission and that seemed to be the push they needed.

Halifax scored four times in the middle frame to take a commanding 5-2 lead into the third. It was the first time in these playoffs that Quebec trailed after two periods. 

Justin Robidas scored at 15:21 of the third with the goaltender pulled but that would be as close as Quebec would get. Doucet iced it with an empty netter at 18:36.

Docuet finished the night with two goals and two assists while Josh Lawrence had a goal and two helpers. Zachary L'Heureux, Jake Furlong and Brady Schultz also scored. Mathis Rousseau made 21 stops in the win.

Josh Lawrence with a little shimmy and it's 5-2 @HFXMooseheads! #RoadtoMemorialCup pic.twitter.com/AOfkPmOmZI

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 14, 2023

Along with Robidas, Zachary Bolduc and James Malatesta scored for Quebec. William Rousseau made 24 stops in the loss.

Defenseman Cameron Whynot returned to the Mooseheads lineup, making his first appearance since Game 2 of the Sherbrooke series. Halifax went with 11 forwards and seven defenseman with Jordan Dumais still nursing an injury - but d-man David Moravec left the game early in the second period after taking a Malatesta hit along the end boards.

Defenseman Charle Truchon remained out of the Quebec lineup. Buffalo Sabres prospect Vsevolod Komarov, who was shaken up in Friday's game, dressed for the Remparts.

The series now shifts to Halifax for Games 3 and 4, which will be played Tuesday and Wednesday night and air on TSN. It will be interesting to see how the Remparts respond to their first loss of the playoffs.

A few other Saturday notes...

• The Peterborough Petes evened up the OHL final at 1-1 with a 5-3 win over the London Knights on Saturday.
• In the WHL, the Seattle Thunderbirds tied the league final at 1-1 with a 4-2 win over the Winnipeg Ice. The next three games will be played in Seattle.
• Robert Mayer was the backup goaltender in Switzerland's 7-0 win over Slovenia on Saturday at the IIHF World Championship. The Swiss return to action on Sunday when they face Norway.
• Jeremie Poirier, Yan Kuznetsov and the Calgary Wranglers are heading south with a 1-1 series tie in the best-of-five Pacific Division Final against the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Poirier had two assists (and was named the game's first star) in Calgary's 3-2 win in Game 2 on Friday, giving him a goal and five helpers in six playoff games. The final three games of the series will be played in Palm Desert.
• The Toronto Marlies trail the Rochester Americans 2-0 in the best-of-five North Division Final. William Villeneuve has not appeared in any playoff games for the Marlies.