The Halifax Mooseheads faced off against the Moncton Wildcats at the Avenir Centre on Saturday evening, ultimately suffering a 3-1 defeat. This match marked a notable return for Jacob Steinman to Moncton, as he took the ice against his former team.
The opening period showcased an exciting exchange of goals. Just 14 seconds into the game, the Wildcats took an early lead when Markus Vidicek capitalized on a rebound from Maxime Côté’s attempt in close. The Mooseheads responded at 7:32 of the first period when Will Bent redirected a pass from Carlos Handel past Wildcats goalie Rudy Guimond, evening the score at one goal apiece.
Throughout the second period, both teams battled defensively, leading to a scoreless frame. However, the intensity picked up in the third period when, at 9:06, Caleb Desnoyers found Adam Fortier-Gendron off the faceoff. Fortier-Gendron made no mistake, firing the puck past Steinman to put the Wildcats back in the lead. The Wildcats then added an insurance goal when Côté finished off a play set up by Juraj Pekarcik, extending the Wildcats' lead to 3-1.
As a result of this loss, the Mooseheads' record now stands at 17-28-7, while the Wildcats continue to dominate the standings in the QMJHL with an impressive record of 40-9-2, further solidifying their position atop the league.
In individual performances, Maxime Côté was named the first star of the game for the Wildcats, contributing significantly with a goal and an assist in the victory. The second star honor went to Mooseheads’ goaltender Jacob Steinman, who put forth a valiant effort, making 48 saves against his former teammates. Former Moosehead Markus Vidicek rounded out the star selections by earning the third star for his vital role in the game.
The Mooseheads will have a chance to rebound quickly from this defeat as they prepare to host the Wildcats at the Scotiabank Centre on Monday, February 17th. The puck drop for this highly anticipated rematch is scheduled for 2 p.m., providing fans with another opportunity to catch the action live on 95.7 NewsRadio.
