Published Apr 16, 2025 • 3 minute readHalifax Mooseheads goalie Jacob Steinman is consoled by teammate Cade Moser after being eliminated from the QMJHL playoffs by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies at the Scotiabank Centre on Wednesday. Photo by Tim Krochak /Chronicle HeraldThe playoff road came to an end for the Halifax Mooseheads on Wednesday.They left everything they had on the ice but couldn’t extend their second-round series with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. The Huskies won 5-1 in front of 7,251 fans at the Scotiabank Centre to complete a 4-0 sweep of the best-of-seven.“Obviously, we would’ve loved to have a better performance in the second round but you learn a lot with the losses and that’s what you want with a young team,” Mooseheads centre Braeden MacPhee said. “You want to keep learning and improving. Round one was such a success and that was the next step with this group. We learned how to have success and I’m so proud of how we battled, even though the score might not have shown it.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle content“I think we really put our hearts out there and that’s why we’re maybe a little more upbeat right now because we know we gave it our all.”There was no denying the Mooseheads’ willingness to keep their underdog run going but their bodies had other ideas. After a draining seven-game series against the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the first round and relentless pressure from the Huskies in this round, there just wasn’t much left in the tank by the end.“It was tough,” MacPhee said. “It was a quick turnaround and it’s something you can’t even train and prepare for, you kind of just go right into it. But give props to Rouyn. They played a hell of a series. They have a great group over there and they played their game really well.”It didn’t help that injuries kept piling up. Defenceman Carlos Handel left Game 3 on Tuesday and couldn’t go on Wednesday, leaving the Mooseheads without five regulars. Justin Chiras, Will Bent, Eddy Doyle and Caylen Blake didn’t play all series so the depth was put to an extreme test.Article contentBy Game 4, Halifax only had four regular defencemen still standing – Brady Schultz, Owen Phillips, Lincoln Waugh and Mathieu Taillefer – and affiliate players Logan Trewin and Ryan Fletcher needed to fill in just to give them six bodies.“Injuries definitely played a part,” Schultz said. “We didn’t have one d-man who was healthy out there. Obviously, it sucks but that’s playoff hockey and every single guy was battling through something. That’s just how it goes.”As they did all series, the Huskies swarmed the Mooseheads every chance they got. They pursued them non-stop in their own zone and didn’t give them any room to breathe anywhere else on the ice.It was enough to overwhelm the Mooseheads early as the Huskies outshot them 20-3 in the first period on their way to taking a 3-0 lead. From there, it was just a matter of keeping that rolling and letting the clock run out.“That’s a great team with a great forecheck and I think that’s what our team’s going to look like in another year or two,” Schultz said. “They’re relentless so I’ve got to hand it to them. Obviously, it wasn’t the first period we wanted but I think we gave it all we had.Article content“At the end of the day, we were just so out of gas from that first round, it was just tough.”Lucas Veilleux, with two, Eliot Ogonowski, Samuel Rousseau and Remi Gelinas had the goals for Rouyn-Noranda and Samuel Meloche stopped 11 shots. Quinn Kennedy scored for Halifax and Jacob Steinman made 35 saves.Like any playoff elimination, it stings for the Mooseheads but they see it as much as a beginning as an end. Only the three overagers – Schultz, Steinman and MacPhee – are aging out of the league so the vast majority of the roster will be back next season. The experience the young players gained in this run will be invaluable by this time next year.“You could even see it this year,” Schultz said. “Our core for the next couple of years, this was their first playoff taste and they completely blew away any expectations anyone had. This team is set up for some really good success, especially with (Andrew Lord) as the head coach. He’s awesome and this team’s going to be really special.”Article content
Mooseheads eliminated from QMJHL playoffs: ‘I’m so proud of how we battled’
