Mooseheads surge past Wildcats with second-period outburst

The Halifax Mooseheads used a four-goal second period to defeat the Moncton Wildcats 5–2 Sunday afternoon at the Avenir Centre.

Moncton opened the scoring and added another to take a two-goal lead into the first intermission. Wildcats defenceman Matthew Virgilio notched his first QMJHL goal, firing a blast from the point past Halifax netminder Owen Bresson. Preston Lounsbury doubled the lead, taking a pass from Kuzma Voronin before driving to the net and beating Bresson.

Quinn Kennedy cut Moncton’s lead in half just 1:10 into the second period, burying a rebound off a close-range shot by Mathieu Taillefer past Rudy Guimond. Cam Minella tied the game with eight minutes remaining in the frame, lobbing a puck on goal that deflected off Amelio Santini and slid through Guimond’s five-hole. The goal underwent a brief review but was upheld by officials.

Shawn Carrier gave Halifax its first lead of the game on the power play, firing a one-timer off a pass from Carlos Händel into the Wildcats’ net. Händel continued the onslaught with his first goal of the season, scoring shorthanded on a breakaway after deking around Guimond.

Liam Kilfoil sealed the win for the Mooseheads with an empty-net goal late in the third period.

With the victory, Halifax improved to 9-4-0 on the season.

Bresson earned first-star honours with a 37-save performance. Moncton’s Lounsbury was named second star, while Händel took third-star recognition with a goal and an assist.

The Mooseheads return to action Wednesday, Oct. 29, as they begin their first Quebec road trip of the season against the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

Catch all the action live on 95.7 NewsRadio at 8 p.m. with Garreth MacDonald.