The Halifax Mooseheads lost 4-2 to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Saturday at the Metro Centre.

Chris Culligan scored twice in an 18-second span in the second period and Jeremy Gouchie and Michael Stinziani later added singles to pace nationally-sixth-ranked Cape Breton to the victory.

Linden Bahm and Travis Randell scored for Halifax.

Here are some notes from tonight's game.

*** Culligan's two goals in 18 seconds were the difference, but the Mooseheads could easily have folded the tent and didn't. They kept within reach and had the goalie pulled until the buzzer.

*** The line of Linden Bahm, Charles Bety and Gabriel Desjardins was once again Halifax's best. Kudos to the Mooseheads' scouting staff for uncovering Bahm and Bety, a couple of cast-offs from the Shawinigan Cataractes, and for making a shrewd second-round pick in Desjardins, who has the look of a future star.

*** On paper, the Bahm line isn't composed of Halifax's top offensive talents, but head coach Cam Russell stuck to his guns and played them as the No. 1 power-play unit. Russell said in the pre-season that the guys who play the best are the guys who will get the ice time.

*** Gabriel O'Connor, still just 17, laid some big hits and may be Halifax's most physical blueliner, ahead of 20-year-olds Graham Bona and Justin Pender. It's his NHL draft year, and he's not going to produce much offence, so developing a hard-hitting mean streak and tightening up his defensive game are crucial for him.

*** Mark Yetman turned aside 25 of 29 shots for the Mooseheads. There were a couple he probably wanted back --- a Culligan shot from behind the goalline that somehow redirected behind him, and a slow-moving Jeremy Gouchie backhander from the slot.

*** The Metro Center faithful have to like the consistent work ethic this year's edition of the Mooseheads has to offer. There aren't many shifts where this team isn't going all out, although it's a bad sign that all it's amounted to is a 1-3 record.

*** Justin Pender and Ben MacAskill are doing a nice job on the point on the power play. Pender's a hard left-handed shot and the right-shooting MacAskill complements him nicely on the left point. Both should post good numbers this year, with MacAskill destined to be a 20-year-old next season.

*** The Mooseheads have Sunday off, then get back on the ice on Monday. It's off to Bathurst for a matchup with the Titan on Wednesday. Expect rookie goalie Mathieu Corbeil --- all 6-foot-6 of him --- to get his first career start in place of Yetman.

*** For a wrap-up of the weekend games and interviews, pick up Monday's edition of Metro.

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February (18)
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December (27)
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Now the Boston fans know what Moose fans had to put up with last year, lots of luck to them, I doubt he stays up with the big club

By ratcat0072

Re: Marchand learning not to be 'a liability'

You hit it right on the head Matthew. We paid dearly for a player we did not need. I believe we could have picked up a couple of solid defencemen for 4th or 5th round picks. The teams chemistry was...

By ratcat0072

Re: Maxime Sauve, the almost-Moosehead

This was a really good effort by the team. If they keep playing this way the bounces will start going their way. Keep up the good work. Ratcat

By ratcat0072

Re: Harbour Station heartbreaker