GAMEDAY #1: at Moncton

GAME PREVIEW
MONCTON WILDCATS VS HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS
Puck drops at 7:00pm
TV: Webcast | Radio: News 95.7 | Live: @HFXMooseheads
Moncton Coliseum (6,554) ~ Moncton, NB

Welcome to the 2016-17 season Moose Country! Another season is upon us and after a last place finish last year, the Halifax Mooseheads will have some new faces that should make this season very exciting for fans and a better finish than the previous season. The Herd ended the year in 18th place and were able to nab the 1st and 2nd overall picks at the 2016 draft while also selecting the top goalie prospect. Though Halifax might not have the same scoring power as they did during the 2011-12 season (the last time Halifax had a top 2 pick on the team), production should be more spread out with entertaining rookies and sophomores that have the ability to put pucks in the back of the net. Halifax also has a new coach so tonight's matchup will be the first real test of how the new team will work out. They'll be going against a team in the Moncton Wildcats that looks different too, the main departure being Conor Garland who was a thorn in the side of many players. Garland's scoring won't be entirely missed but I'm sure his ability to get under the other team's skin will. Moncton is also without their starting goaltender, Keven Bouchard, who is in Edmonton Oilers camp so rookie Matthew Waite will get the call tonight. Speaking of goalies, it will be interesting to see who Coach Andre Tourigny chooses to start the season with, especially where the Mooseheads will be playing back-to-back games this weekend.

This is the first matchup between the two teams this season. Last year, Halifax was 3-5-1-0 against the Wildcats while Moncton had a 6-3-0-0 record versus the Mooseheads. The last matchup in the regular season between Halifax and Moncton was March 18 where Max Fortier and Otto Somppi each had a goal and 2 assists to help the Mooseheads pick up a 7-4 victory in Wildcats territory. 

OVERALL RECORDSMooseheads: 0-0-0-0, 0pts (T-1st in Maritimes division, T-2nd in league)
Wildcats: 0-0-0-0, 0pts (T-1st in Maritimes division, T-2nd in league)

LEADING SCORERSMON: n/a
HAL: n/a

PREVIOUS GAMES
Halifax is coming off a 5-1 defeat to Cape Breton in the team's last game of the preseason last Friday night. Newcomer Bradley Kennedy scored the lone goal for the Mooseheads while Kevin Resop allowed 4 goals on 11 Screaming Eagles shots before being pulled in the later part of the first period.

Moncton is coming off a 10-2 loss to the Titan in their preseason finale on September 16. Cameron Askew led the Wildcats with 2 points while Matthew Waite and Dominik Tmej split the goaltending duties on home ice against Acadie-Bathurst.

NOT DRESSED - Jocktan Chainey (injury), Otto Somppi (NHL camp) & Jordan Lepage (suspension)

ALUM ON WILDCATS - forward Ilya Putintsev

HEAD-TO-HEAD
September 23  Halifax at Moncton - 7pm
November 18  Halifax at Moncton - 7pm
November 27  Moncton at Halifax - 3pm
December 17  Moncton at Halifax - 7pm
January 3  Halifax at Moncton - 7pm
January 6  Moncton at Halifax - 7pm
February 5  Halifax at Moncton - 4pm
February 20  Moncton at Halifax - 2pm
February 23  Halifax at Moncton - 7pm

OUT OF TOWN
Screaming Eagles vs. Titan   7:00pm
Islanders vs. Sea Dogs   7:00pm
Remparts vs. Sagueneens   8:00pm
Huskies vs. Phoenix   8:30pm
Olympiques vs. Voltigeurs   8:30pm
Cataractes vs. Tigres   8:30pm
Foreurs vs. Armada   8:30pm
Drakkar vs. Oceanic   8:30pm

AFTER THE BUZZER
The Mooseheads will head to Halifax for the team's home opener and will welcome the Saint John Sea Dogs on Saturday night. Puck drops at 7pm.