The Halifax Mooseheads stopped the bleeding by snapping a six-game losing streak last night in Montreal.
The Mooseheads, who tumbled into last place in the QMJHL during a weekend road trip, bounced back with a 4-3 win over the Montreal Junior at Verdun Auditorium.
Gerrad Grant’s seventh of the season 5:18 into the third period on the power play was the difference maker.
“They’re all big (wins), but this one was big for our morale,” said Mooseheads head coach Cam Russell, who called it a “quiet bus” after the team fell into last place on Saturday.
“We’re battling for a playoff spot and this keeps us alive.”
First star Jan Stransky, second star Gabriel Desjardins and rookie Alexis Piette had Halifax’s other goals.
The Mooseheads were outshot 32-23, but 20-year-old Mark Yetman, making his seventh start in eight games, made 29 saves, including 11 in the third period.
More importantly, Halifax went 2-for-3 on the power play and killed off all six Montreal advantages.
“It was a real good defensive effort by everybody and our special teams were good,” Russell said. “Our penalty kill kills off some very questionable calls and our power play scores some key goals. That was the difference in this one.”
Halifax improves to 14-32-3-2 for 33 points, moving to within two points of the 17th-place Val-d’Or Foreurs.
Winger Travis Randell returned to Halifax’s lineup from a sprained ankle, while rookies Jessyko Bernard and Alex MacDonald were healthy scratches.
The Mooseheads return to action on Friday at the Metro Centre against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. Saturday marks former Mooseheads forward Logan MacMillan’s return to the Metro Centre with the Rimouski Oceanic.
