Steven Anthony sent the Halifax Mooseheads skidding further into last place yesterday in Saint John, N.B.
The 18-year-old Halifax native, just back from training camp with the Vancouver Canucks, netted a hat trick to help his Saint John Sea Dogs thump the Mooseheads 6-1 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play at Harbour Station.
The Mooseheads trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes, but the Sea Dogs exploded in the third to sink the Mooseheads, who also lost their home-opener 3-1 to the Bathurst Titan on Friday and are the only winless team in the league at 0-4.
Mooseheads head coach and general manager Cam Russell did not respond to post-game phone messages.
Anthony, who had 48 points last season and was drafted in the seventh round (187th overall) in June’s NHL draft by the Canucks, scored a pair in the first period and another in the third period and was named the game’s first star.
Travis Randell scored Halifax’s lone goal in the first period. Mooseheads rookie goaltender Joel Grondin made his first career start and allowed six goals on 32 shots.
The Mooseheads, with 34 shots, out-shot their opponent for the third time in four games with no reward.
Garrett Clarke scored the lone goal in Friday’s loss and Mathieu Corbeil was solid with 23 saves. Inability to generate offence and defensive miscues cost Halifax that night.
“It’ll come, I guess,” said Mooseheads blueliner Pascal Amyot on Friday. “We’re missing little assignments, like just driving the net after a shot. Little things like that.”
It’s a rough start for Halifax, which is coming off a last-place finish that saw them lose 49 of 68 games.
The Mooseheads return to action this coming weekend, with home games on Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Gatineau Olympiques and Sunday at 4 p.m. against the Victoriaville Tigres.
