BATTLE OF NOVA SCOTIA
Screaming Eagles celebrate 20th anniversary with win over Mooseheads
See how the Eagles did against the Mooseheads at Centre 200 last night.
The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles celebrated their 20th anniversary the same way they began their time in Sydney back in 1997 — with a win.
The Screaming Eagles defeated the Halifax Mooseheads 4-1 at Centre 200 on Friday, a contest the franchise designated as its 20th anniversary celebration game, which saw ticket and concession prices thrown back to their inaugural season in the QMJHL.
For many of the 4,676 fans in attendance, the game even felt like 1997 after a feisty first period that took close to 53 minutes to complete, due to more than 10 penalties and two fights.
Screaming Eagles forward Peyton Hoyt, who was named the game’s first star, said the team knew they would be in for a battle against Halifax.
“We saw that video tribute before the game (for the 20th anniversary) and that really got us all pumped up,” he said.
“We saw a lot of fights in that video, so I guess we just came out with a lot of emotion.”
The Mooseheads opened the scoring with top NHL prospect Nico Hischier scoring shorthanded just past the halfway mark of the first period.
Cape Breton tied the game at 1:19 of the second period with Peyton Hoyt breaking past a Mooseheads defenceman and dekeing Mooseheads goalie Alexis Gravel for his 12th of the season. The Screaming Eagles would take a 2-1 lead
with Massimo Carozza’s shot finding the back of the net at the 14:26 mark of the middle frame.
The Screaming Eagles extended their lead in the third period on a delayed penalty with Leon Gawanke’s wrist shot beating Gravel high on the blocker side, making the score 3-1. Jordan Ty Fournier put the damper to any Mooseheads comeback in the third period, scoring his 18th goal of the season late in the final stanza, giving the Screaming Eagles the 4-1 win.
Cape Breton’s Kyle Jessiman made 24 saves in the win, improving his record to 18-162-2. Halifax’s Gravel stopped 23 of 27 shots in the loss.
Screaming Eagles head coach and general manager Marc-Andre Dumont agreed the game was emotional for everyone involved.
“We had a great crowd with great fans and a lot of things happened,” he said. “I don’t think there is any fan leaving Centre 200 tonight saying it was a boring game.”
Although the Screaming Eagles have already clinched a playoff spot, Dumont said the team isn’t thinking about that right now.
“The playoffs start on March 24 — we don’t talk about the playoffs,” he said. “We talk about our game and that’s the only thing that matters.”
Cape Breton will return to action on Sunday when they face the league-leading Saint John Sea Dogs in Saint John, N.B. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. at Harbour Station.