Dec 31: Mooseheads vs. Screaming Eagles preview

HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS VS CAPE BRETON SCREAMING EAGLES
December 31, 2018 at 2:00pm
TV: Webcast | Radio: News 95.7 | Live: @MC_MooseCountry
Scotiabank Centre (10,595) ~ Halifax, NS

It's the last game of 2018. Wow, this year has gone by so fast and your Halifax Mooseheads will look to end it on a high note. The final match of the year will be a big one as the winner may be able to have bragging rights for the next year with today's tilt being the second game of the Hurley Cup. It's also the last time that Moose Country will see the Herd's provincial rivals; the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles this season as the final two games in their head-to-head will be played in Sydney. The annual Battle of Nova Scotia series has taken an extra bit of fun with the addition of the Hurley Cup trophy. A big story was the return of Samuel Dube who had played just two games before doctors found a blood clot in his leg which forced the rookie to sit out 30+ games. It should be a fun game to end the year, hopefully we won't see another match with extra time.

This is the seventh game between these two teams. Halifax is 4-1-0-1 against the Screaming Eagles while Cape Breton has a 2-3-0-1 record versus the Mooseheads. The last matchup was December 30, where Halifax won 3-2 in a shootout. Samuel Asselin scored twice in regulation while Benoit-Olivier Groulx scored the shootout winner.

Overall Records
Eagles: 22-12-1-2 = 47pts (7th overall, 4th in Maritimes division)
Mooseheads: 25-8-1-1 = 52pts (3rd overall, 1st in Maritimes division)

Leading Scorers
HAL: Samuel Asselin 45pts (27G & 18A), Raphael Lavoie 36pts (15G & 21A), Benoit-Olivier Groulx 35pts (18G & 17A)
CAP: Mitchell Balmas 46pts (22G & 24A), Mathias Laferriere 43pts (18G & 25A), Derek Gentile 35pts (7G & 28A)

Previous Games
See above.

Head-to-Head
September 28  Mooseheads 4 at Screaming Eagles 2
October 26  Mooseheads 4 at Screaming Eagles 3
October 27  Screaming Eagles 5 at Mooseheads 2
November 9  Screaming Eagles 2 at Mooseheads 5
December 12  Screaming Eagles 3 at Mooseheads 2 SO
December 30  Mooseheads 3 at Screaming Eagles 2 SO
December 31  2pm  Screaming Eagles at Mooseheads
January 11  7pm  Mooseheads at Screaming Eagles
February 9  7pm  Mooseheads at Screaming Eagles

Out of Town
Saint John vs. Charlottetown - 2:00pm
Moncton vs. Acadie-Bathurst - 2:00pm
Val-d'Or vs. Rouyn-Noranda - 2:00pm
Rimouski vs. Quebec - 3:00pm
Drummondville vs. Blainville-Boisbriand - 3:00pm
Shawinigan vs. Baie-Comeau - 3:00pm
Sherbrooke vs. Gatineau - 3:00pm
Victoriaville vs. Chicoutimi - 3:00pm

After the Buzzer
Halifax will have their first game in the new year on January 4, hosting the Rimouski Oceanic. Puck drops at 7pm.