RECAP: Good Start.

Drakkar keep big guns off goal sheet

Halifax Mooseheads vs Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Series: HAL leads 1-0

STARS: 3. Falkenham (HAL) | 2. Lewis (HAL) | 1. Fucale (HAL)

Attendance: 10,595

HALIFAX - Zach Fucale was a beast once again as he recorded his third shutout of the playoffs. Just like in Game 4 of the Drakkar/Armada series, Baie-Comeau seemed to not like losing at all. There was a dust up in the second period and than a few more at the last couple of minutes of the game. Jonathan Drouin hit a Drakkar player who got up and than Drouin hit the same player again into the boards. The player stayed laying on the ice for a few minutes while another Baie-Comeau player jumped Drouin and a fight ensued. Big Jo was lucky enough not to get anything for it. It looked like it was going to be a very low scoring game with neither team being able to put a puck past the goaltenders in the first 43 minutes and 40 seconds. Konrad Abeltshauser scored the only goal in the 2nd period.

FINAL: Baie-Comeau 0 at Halifax 4

Point getters: HAL Fournier 3 (1G & 2A), Abeltshauser 2 (1G & 1A), MacAulay 2 (2A), Falkenham and Lewis had 1G each, Andrews, Drouin and Ryan had 1A each

Goaltenders: Fucale HAL | Cadorette BAC

Shots 1st: 8-7 BAC | 2nd: 12-7 HAL | 3rd: 15-13 HAL

Powerplay HAL 1/3, BAC 0/6

GAME LOG
First period
None

Penalties: Trey Lewis HAL (2:19, Hooking), Alec Jon Banville BAC (4:55, Roughing), Jonathan Drouin HAL (4:55, Boarding), Austyn Hardie HAL (4:55, Roughing), Felix Girard BAC (6:18, Checking from behind), Petr Straka BAC (9:43, Hooking), Stephen MacAulay HAL (12:45, Tripping)

Second period
16:20 Konrad Abeltshauser (5), PP | A: Fournier & Drouin | HAL

Penalties: Carl Gelinas BAC (10:58, Roughing), Jonathan Drouin HAL (10:58, Roughing), Martin Frk HAL (10:58, Roughing), Samuel Noreau BAC (14:40, Cross-checking), Darcy Ashley HAL (18:33, Hooking), Raphael Bussieres BAC (19:40, Roughing), Jeremy Gregoire BAC (19:40, Roughing), Trey Lewis HAL (19:40, Roughing), Nathan MacKinnon HAL (19:40, Roughing)

Third period
5:52 Trey Lewis (1) | A: MacAulay & Fournier | HAL
14:46 Ryan Falkenham (1) | A: Andrews & Ryan | HAL
18:55 Stefan Fournier (14), EN | A: MacAulay & Abeltshauser | HAL

Penalties: Jonathan Drouin HAL (10:23, Hooking), Dominic Poulin BAC (15:47, Roughing), Gabryel Paquin-Boudreau BAC (18:46, Slashing), Trey Lewis HAL (18:46, Holding), Alec Jon Banville BAC 919:14, Roughing), Julien Lepage BAC (19:14, Unsportsmanlike), MacKenzie Weegar HAL (19:14, Unsportmanlike), Samuel Noreau BAC ( 19:50, Unsportsmanlike), Charles Poulin BAC (19:50, Slashing), Matthew Boudreau HAL (19:50, Unsportsmanlike)

UPDATE on PEI

Nine days after the season ended for the PEI Rocket with a 4-3 triple overtime loss in Game 6 of their first round series, the owners of the island team announced that they had a deal in place from a group who would like to buy the team. This prevented the QMJHL from buying the team and move them to Sorel, Quebec. Instead the Rocket are staying on the island. It was announced earlier in the season that the team would be called the PEI Islanders next season.

A report has announced that the team will be called the Charlottetown Islanders for the 2013-14 season. Thank goodness they decided to change the PEI part it didn't really make sense.

Keep checking back for more updates on the team.

PLAYOFF GAME #13: Baie-Comeau

GAMEDAY

2013 President's Cup Final Game One

Baie-Comeau Drakkar at Halifax Mooseheads

Tonight at 8:00pm

Radio: News 95.7 | TV: Sportsnet | Webcast: Telus | Live: @HFXMooseheads

Halifax Metro Centre ~ Halifax, NS

SERIES

This is the first game of the best-of-seven series.

PREVIEW - Nathan MacKinnon will face the team that drafted him in the final part of his team's quest to win the QMJHL playoff title.

In 2011, the Baie-Comeau Drakkar had the first overall pick in the Q draft and drafted MacKinnon at #1. He wasn't interested in playing in the Quebec city so five weeks later the Drakkar traded him to Halifax. He will face Baie-Comeau for only the 6th time since being drafted but this time around the games will be more important and tougher. The top two teams in the Quebec league will face off for the all important President's Cup and for a berth in the Memorial Cup tournament.

Halifax finished first 23 points ahead of the Drakkar with a 58-6-3-1 record. Baie-Comeau finished second in the league with a 44-19-2-3 record.

Baie-Comeau will be underdogs as they come in being outscored 9-3 in 2 season matchups against Halifax.

NOT PLAYING - No one was listed at the time of this publishing

NOTES

• The Halifax Mooseheads team website has ticket info and the full schedule.
• Willy Palov explains how it's going to be a great final series between the top teams.
• See the how the teams breakdown by position.
• Sportsnet's preview of the series, watch the game on SN One.

SEASON SEIRES
The Mooseheads went 2-0-0-0 against Baie-Comeau this season while the Drakkar went 0-2-0-0 against Halifax.

November 21, 2012 - Halifax def. Baie-Comeau 6-2
February 1, 2013 - Halifax def. Baie-Comeau 3-1

OUT OF TOWN
Colts at Knights - 8:05pm/AT (OHL Final)
Oil Kings at Winterhawks - 11:00pm/AT (WHL Final)

NEXT GAME
Game 2 in this final series between the Drakkar and Mooseheads will be tomorrow night at the Metro Centre. Puck drops at 7:00pm.

CHL League Finals Set!

The individual league finals in the Canadian Hockey League are finally set. We had to wait until Tuesday night to find out the Western Hockey League final as the Edmonton/Calgary series went to 7 games. The QMJHL final was official Sunday night while the OHL final became official on Monday. The Halifax Mooseheads come in as heavy favorites after finishing the regular season with best record in the CHL and being ranked #1 in the final BMO rankings. The winners of each league final will join the Saskatoon Blades later in May for the Memorial Cup.

2013 PRESIDENT'S CUP FINAL
#1 Halifax Mooseheads vs. #2 Baie-Comeau Drakkar; series starts Friday at 8:00pm

2013 J. ROSS ROBERTSON CUP FINAL
#W1 London Knights vs. #E2 Barrie Colts; series starts Friday at 8:05pm

2013 ED CHYNOWETH CUP FINAL
#W1 Portland Winterhawks vs. #E1 Edmonton Oil Kings; series starts Friday at 11:00pm


Last games
Halifax: Game 4 Thursday Apr 25 Mooseheads 9 at Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 6 (HAL wins series 4-0)
Baie-Comeau: Game 6 Sunday Apr 28 Drakkar 4 at Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 0 (BAC wins series 4-2)
London: Game 5 Friday Apr 26 Plymouth Whalers 4 at Knights 5 OT (LDN wins series 4-1)
Barrie: Game 7 Monday Apr 29 Colts 3 at Belleville Bulls 1 (BAR wins series 4-3)
Portland: Game 5 Friday Apr 26 Kamloops Blazers 1 at Winterhawks 4 (POR wins series 4-1)
Edmonton: Game 7 Tuesday Apr 30 Calgary Hitmen 0 at Oil Kings 2 (EDM wins series 4-3)



Game One of the Halifax/Baie-Comeau series will be broadcasted on national television. It was originally scheduled for a 7pm start but will now be a 8pm Atlantic time start. Watch it on Sportsnet. Game two can be seen by Maritime fans on Eastlink TV at 7:00pm on Saturday.

Finals schedule released

PLAYOFFS

#1 Halifax Mooseheads vs #2 Baie-Comeau Drakkar

President's Cup Final

Your Halifax Mooseheads and Baie-Comeau Drakkar announced the schedule for their President's Cup final matchup.

HALIFAX - The number one ranked team in the country will try to win their first ever QMJHL title as they take on Baie-Comeau. This is Halifax's third time in the big dance however they lost the two previous visits. The Moose can taste the Cup now and so can the Drakkar and it all starts on Friday on national television. Long rests between series seem to be an advantage for the Mooseheads which normally doesn't happen. Baie-Comeau will get their head coach and main goalies back after all 3 served their two games suspensions from a brawl in the Blainville series.

MACAULAY: Stephen MacAulay will be playing in his fourth straight Cup final. This will be his first with a different team as he played the other 3 with the Saint John Sea Dogs. The last two finals, MacAulay and the Dogs won the President's Cup and won the Memorial Cup in 2011.

HEAD-TO-HEAD ~ all-time: 54 games 28-16-3-2; this season: 2 games 2-0-0-0; playoffs 13 games 8-5-0-0

LAST GAME - Baie-Comeau come into the game as winners of their Round 3 series with a 4-0 shutout win against Blainville. While Halifax is coming into the final round of the Q playoffs with a 12-0 record off a high-scoring 9-6 Game 4 win versus Rouyn-Noranda.

Playoffs tickets for game one on Friday and game two on Saturday will be available on Tuesday at 10am at the Ticket Atlantic Box Office, select Superstores, www.ticketatlantic.com and by calling (902) 451-1221

Game #1
Friday May 3 @ 8:00pm at Halifax Metro Centre ~ Halifax, NS
Game #2
Saturday May 4 @ 7:00pm at Halifax Metro Centre ~ Halifax, NS
Game #3
Tuesday May 7 @ 8:30pm at Centre Henry-Leonard ~ Baie-Comeau, QC
Game #4
Wednesday May 8 @ 8:30pm at Centre Henry-Leonard ~ Baie-Comeau, QC
Game #5
Friday May 10 @ 7:00pm at Halifax Metro Centre ~ Halifax, NS
Game #6
Sunday May 12 @ 3:00pm at Centre Henry-Leonard ~ Baie-Comeau, QC
Game #7
Monday May 13 @ 7:00pm at Halifax Metro Centre ~ Halifax, NS

CANADA WINS GOLD!!!

Hockey fans in Canada can cheer once again as Team Canada won Gold at the Under 18 World Championship in Sochi, Russia. The last tournament that Canadians played in was the Women's World Championships earlier this month in which Canada lost to USA for gold. The last Men's tournament was the World Juniors which Team Canada lost the bronze medal game to host Russia. The sledge hockey team shutout Team USA in the Gold Medal game 8 days ago.

Team Canada took a 1-0 lead at 9:29 of the first period from a goal by Laurent Dauphin. USA tied it up at 1:48 of the second and than took the lead at 9:42 into the middle frame with goals by Connor Clifton and Mike McCarron respectively. Canada would take a 3-2 lead before the end of the middle 20 and there was no score in the 3rd period. Team USA was very close to tying it in the dying minutes but could not get past Philippe Desrosiers who made 35 saves.

2012 Halifax Mooseheads draft picks Jack Eichel and John Hayden played for Team USA. Hayden was named alternate captain of USA. He was a -1 and had 3 shots during 16:39 of ice time. Eichel had 2 shots on goal while playing 6:41 minutes. 16 year old Connor McDavid was the tournament's leading scorer with 14 points. He was held pointless in both the semi final and gold medal games. He ended with 8 goals and 6 assists with back to back hat tricks and a +8.

Canada's record: 7-0-0-0

Scores
Slovakia 1 - 4 Canada (prelim)
Canada 3 - 1 Germany (prelim)
Canada 10 - 1 Switzerland (prelim)
Sweden 0 - 6 Canada (prelim)
Canada 6 - 0 Czech Republic (quarters)
Canada 3 - 1 Finland (semis)
Canada 3 - 2 United States (gold)


In the Bronze Medal game, Finland won 2-1 in regulation over host Russia. Finland got goals from Artturi Lehkonen and Kasperi Kapanen while Russia's only goal was scored by Vladimir Tkachyov. It was Finland's fourth bronze medal. USA won their 3rd silver medal. This was Canada's third gold medal after winning gold in 2003 and 2008, all three 5 years apart. Team USA had won the four previous tournaments.


The next tournament for Team Canada is the 2013 Men's World Championships which will be held in Finland and Sweden from May 3 to May 19 and will be qualifications for the 2014 Olympic games.

PEI Rocket update

Good news Maritime fans. The PEI Rocket/Islanders announced yesterday that they are staying on the island. The QMJHL approached the PEI ownership on April 15 with an offer to buy the team. The team has been owned by the Savard family for awhile. No details have been released by the team of how the new group is made of. For full report click here. No word on whether or not if the new management will still change the team name.