PLAYOFF GAMEDAY #1: vs Charlottetown

IT'S GAMEDAY

HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS vs. CHARLOTTETOWN ISLANDERS

Series tied 0-0

Puck drops at 8:00pm

Metro Centre (10,595) ~ Halifax, NS

PREVIEW - Well what is this year going to bring. Your Halifax Mooseheads, as we all know, are starting the postseason as defending President Cup and Memorial Cup champions. This season though, the team had it's problems to start the year. They lost Nathan MacKinnon to the NHL, Jonathan Drouin was sent back to the team after spending September in Lightning camp and the Mooseheads had to battle injuries for pretty much the first half of the season. They came together though as a team and battled it out with the help of Drouin and rookie sensation Nikolaj Ehlers. Goaltender Zach Fucale even broke his own goals against average record that he had set last season, only letting in an average of 2.28 goals per game.

Charlottetown on the otherhand couldn't keep their strong start to the season going and were battling for a playoff spot in the latter part of the season with 5 other teams. The strong play of Mason MacDonald in the Islanders net was the reason why they won as much as they did. Rookie Daniel Sprong led the offense that struggled to score all year. If Charlottetown has any hope of winning a game this series, MacDonald will have to be stellar and the defense will have to shut down the duo of Ehlers and Drouin.

It's go time! We will have to wait to see what this postseason will be bring but it will no doubt bring a lot of excitment.

SEASON SERIES
Halifax went 8-1-0-0 against the Islanders this year while Charlottetown went 1-7-1-0 against the Mooseheads

September 13, 2013 - Charlottetown def. Halifax 5-2
October 23, 2013 - Halifax def. Charlottetown 4-2
November 15, 2013 - Halifax def. Charlottetown 4-3
December 8, 2013 - Halifax def. Charlottetown 4-1
January 8, 2014 - Halifax def. Charlottetown 5-2
January 15, 2014 - Halifax def. Charlottetown 5-2
February 19, 2014 - Halifax def. Charlottetown 5-1
March 6, 2014 - Halifax def. Charlottetown 7-4
March 11, 2014 - Halifax def. Charlottetown 3-2 OT

NOT PLAYING - Ryan Falkenham (hips) and Austyn Hardie (upper body injury)

NOTES

• Please be aware of the time change, this is because tonight's game will be on Sportsnet
• Willy Palov of The Chronicle Herald makes his predictions
• The Islanders mantra for this playoff series is #WhyNotUs, The Guardian has that story

TONIGHT'S GAMES
Huskies at Remparts - 8:00pm
Cataractes at Drakkar - 8:30pm
Titan at Foreurs - 8:30pm
Sagueneens at Oceanic - 8:30pm
Wildcats at Armada - 8:30pm
Tigres at Voltiguers - 8:30pm
Eagles at Olympiques - 8:30pm

GAME COVERAGE
TV: Sportsnet
Live: @MC_MooseCountry, @islandersgmday
Radio: News 95.7
Webcast: TELUS
Post-game: The Chronicle Herald

NEXT GAME
The two teams will meet again tomorrow night for game two of the playoffs series. Puck drop goes back to the normal 7pm.