(Montreal) The “loop came full circle” Friday evening in Halifax, when on September 22, the Mooseheads kicked off the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) season by withdrawing the jersey of their former number 22, Nathan MacKinnon.
“Growing up, when I was a Mooseheads fan myself, I never thought my jersey would one day be retired. Now the circle has come full circle. This city and this team mean a lot to me. THANKS ! » MacKinnon said a few moments before his number 22 was hoisted to the heights of the Scotiabank Centre.
The Mooseheads took advantage of the fact that Colorado Avalanche training camp had not yet started to ensure that MacKinnon, who wore the red and green jersey between 2011 and 2013, could be present for this evening in his honor.
Before the ceremony, MacKinnon had the opportunity to meet the members of the current edition of the Mooseheads, and he took no time to put a little pressure on them for their meeting against the Charlottetown Islanders .
“I told them they better not ruin my night by losing. It was a joke, but I really told them that,” MacKinnon said during a press scrum.
“I told them that the years with the Mooseheads were the best of my life and I wished it would be the same for them. »
Despite this speech in the locker room, the Mooseheads ultimately lost 3-1 against the Islanders. Liam Kilfoil had given the locals the lead midway through the first period, but a double from Michael Horth, in addition to an empty-net goal from Owen Conrad, allowed the Islanders to escape with victory.
MacKinnon made rain and shine during his time with the Nova Scotia team. In 101 season games, he amassed 63 goals and 90 assists, for a total of 153 points, in addition to adding 61 points in 34 playoff games.
He led the Mooseheads to win the President’s Cup (today the Gilles Courteau Trophy) then the Memorial Cup in 2013, being named best player of the tournament. It was at the end of this season that he was drafted first overall by the Avalanche.
Even though he now plays in the best hockey league in the world and has a Stanley Cup ring to his credit, the forward was full of praise for his former junior organization.
“In the NHL, the years end up being similar, but in junior, everything is new in your life, it’s a very special time at that age. It’s just two years, but it feels like they count as 10,” pointed out MacKinnon, who was also a little nervous.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this. I’m from here, I spend my summers at home in Halifax, so I really have a special connection to this city. A lot of my family and friends are here tonight, so it’s nice to be able to share this moment with my loved ones. »
The duel between the Mooseheads, reigning finalists for the Gilles-Courteau Trophy, and the Islanders was one of seven games scheduled for this first evening of activity in the QMJHL.
Voltigeurs 3 –Olympiques 2 (Prol.)
Lukas Landry settled the debate in overtime and the Drummondville Voltigeurs defeated the Gatineau Matériaux 3-2.
In a duel to the advantage of the Voltigeurs, Matthew Eric, in his first career game, scored his first goal in the QMJHL in the middle of the third period for the Matériaux and forced an overtime period.
The Voltigeurs, however, picked up where they left off in the third period, that is to say buzzing in the opposing territory.
Landry finally ended the game with a precise shot from the glove side that fooled Zach Pelletier.
Armada 3 –Phoenix2 (Fus.)
Alexis Bourque was the only scorer in the shootout session which allowed the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada to overcome the Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2.
If there was a shootout in this meeting, it is partly thanks to the work of Armada goalkeeper Charles-Édward Gravel, who made several important saves – including a spectacular one with the glove – in overtime while his team was short of one player.
Gravel completed the game with 24 saves.
Drakkar 5 –Saguenéens 4 (Prol.)
Anthony Lavoie fired a powerful shot in the upper area which allowed the Baie-Comeau Drakkar to defeat the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in overtime.
The Drakkar thus saved the furniture after seeing the Saguenéens make up a 3-0 deficit accumulated at the start of the match.
Tigers 3 –Océanic 7
Julien Béland scored a hat trick to help the Rimouski Océanic defeat the Victoriaville Tigres 7-3.
After two tight periods, the Océanic took advantage of four goals, including two from Béland, at the end of the third period to win.
Sea Dogs 6 –Titan 4
Eriks Mateiko scored two goals and the Saint-Jean Sea Dogs defeated the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 6-4.
In an offensive game, Joseph Henneberry reduced the gap to 5-4 midway through the third period, but only 15 seconds later, Egan Beveridge restored a two-goal priority to the Sea Dogs, who were able to protect their lead until the end of the match.
Wildcats 4 –Eagles 0
Elsewhere in the Maritimes, the Moncton Wildcats blanked the Cape Breton Eagles 4-0.
Jacob Steinman needed only 16 saves to record his fourth career shutout. His opposite number, Nicolas Ruccia, repelled 32 shots, but he was unable to stop those of Yoan Loshing, Vincent Collard and Connor Trenholm. Preston Lounsbury completed the scoring into an empty net.