GAMEDAY #55: vs. Shawinigan

GAMEDAY
HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS VS SHAWINIGAN CATARACTES
Puck drops at 3pm
TV: Webcast | Radio: News 95.7 | Live: @MC_MooseCountry
Scotiabank Centre (10,595) ~ Halifax, NS

Your Halifax Mooseheads are coming into today's game with probably a little bit of doubt in their heads as they have lost two straight for only the third time this season. Both games last week, the Herd really should have won considering they were up 3-1 against Chicoutimi on Thursday and playing last place Saint John Sea Dogs on Friday evening. Halifax will look to rebound against another team that is currently not making the playoffs but the Shawinigan Cataractes are coming off a high scoring game against the Sea Dogs last night in the battle of the last two teams in the standings. Today's game is the first of three home matches in the next 8 days but we're beginning the final stretch of the season. Shawinigan has struggled this season and will most likely not make the playoffs but they have been able to defeat teams above them as evident by their 16 victories. The Cataractes will look to do the same and give the Moose a third straight loss.

This is the second and last game between these two teams. Halifax is 0-0-0-1 against the Cataractes while Shawinigan has a 1-0-0-0 record versus the Mooseheads. The last matchup was on December 6 with the home Cats picking up a 3-2 shootout victory after Arnaud Durandeau scored the tying goal with under 7 minutes left in the second. 

OVERALL RECORDS
Cataractes: 16-33-4-0 = 36 points (6th in East division, 15th overall)
Mooseheads: 34-13-6-1 = 75 points (1st in Maritimes division, 2nd overall)

LEADING SCORERS
HAL: Otto Somppi 66pts (19G & 47A), FIlip Zadina 61pts (35G & 26A), Maxime Fortier 61pts (26G & 35A)
SHA: Jan Drozg 43pts (15G & 28A), Vasily Glotov 35pts (25G & 10A), Antoine Demers 29pts (13G & 16A)

PREVIOUS GAMES
Like I said above, Shawinigan is coming off a 8-5 victory over Saint John last night on the road after being down 3-0 in the first. Jan Drozg led the Cataractes with 4 assists while Mathieu Bellemare stopped 20 of the Sea Dogs 25 shots to get the win.

Halifax is coming off a disappointing loss to those Sea Dogs on Friday evening, losing 6-3 in Saint John. Filip Zadina scored his team leading 35th goal while goalie Blade Mann-Dixon made 36 saves as the home team outshot your Mooseheads 42-31.

HEAD-TO-HEAD
December 6  Halifax 2 at Shawinigan 3 SO
February 11  Shawinigan at Halifax - 3pm

OUT OF TOWN
Titan vs. Sagueneens     3:00pm
Screaming Eagles vs. Armada     4:00pm
Olympiques vs. Phoenix     4:00pm

AFTER THE BUZZER
Halifax will stay home this weekend for a game against the Moncton Wildcats on Friday evening on Eaastlink. Puck drops at 7pm.