Mooseheads vs Eagles: Game 5 - real tears were shed

In what was a seemingly equally well played game, Halifax managed to net a big point differential, pulling out 2 empty net goals in the last minute of play to defeat the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 5-2 and bring this series to a close. Wuest's blog transcript has all the details on how the Mooseheads win the Battle of Nova Scotia.

Cape Breton must have taken crying lessons from Jonathan Bernier back when Lewiston lost in Sydney. The waterworks were really flowing – Brodeur was a sweet little mess. Mad props to the Capers for giving us some hard fought games, and for displaying such loyalty to each other and to their captain. They seem like a tight crew, which they would have to be to all agree on that ridiculous ‘do’.

Halifax will carry on to round 3 and face Squirrels and the Olympiques. It will also be a battle of Newfy netminders. Actually, now that I think of it only 1 francophone remains among the starting goaltenders, and for all of the Gougeon bashing I do (because he has the doucheiest facial hair and he is short so he looks like he is wearing his mommy’s gear), he has really impressive post season numbers. Never mind that Rouyn Noranda swept both series they have played so far. He currently leads the league in playoffs with a 1.76 GAA and 0.944 save %.

Pier chewed gum and waved at the people while looking very uncomfortable as he was wished ‘happy birthday’. The MC forgot Bouchard’s birthday even though game day (April 11 – happy belated birthday) was his actual birthday. I think P-O’s discomfort in front of the camera stems from shame over that hideous playoff growth on his face. While I am obsessed with his beauty I find the face hair totally skeezy. It doesn’t work for everyone. Jonathan Bernier’s handlebar moustache was better than Pier’s patchy attempt at…what is that - random growth, a chinstrap, massive sideburns? I can’t tell. I fear that my affection is beginning to wain. I can’t just like a goalie for how they look, despite how it may seem…I am really not that shallow. They need to be pounded by pucks, standing in blue ice, being acrobatic, getting sweaty and wearing the helmet for me to thoroughly get my ‘sigh’ on. Maybe if I make it to the game early to catch him in warm ups with the helmet on and stopping the occasional puck my love will be invigorated.

In other goalies that were actually playing news, Mark was excellently boring again: position, stop puck, position, stop puck, do not play the puck, get back into position….stop puck. Yeti stopped 30 of 32 pucks thrown his way and as such was awarded 1^st star of the game. He had a very nice glove save at some point but the power of Yeti’s glove save is far outweighed by the power of Olivier Roy’s awesomea glove saves. No more wasting shots on net by going glove side on this kid, it is virtually useless. Remember this for next season.

Roy managed to block 33 of 36 shots from entering the net and was awarded 3^rd star. I am sure I will eventually grow to love him, his trooper like nature when injured (his own man skated into his head when he was down on the puck- owwww), his weird puck throwing ways, and his pouty lip. It would just be too obscene right now given that he is still only 16 years old (but still manages to grow a better beard than Pier).

Logan MacMillan finally got a goal. No really, finally... I feel I have been waiting forever for that one. Ryan Hillier was the machine of the night with two goals including the game winner while Pridham secured the game with an empty net goal. Marchand then super secured the game with another ENG with 1 second remaining on the clock. Both of Cape Breton’s markers were put in by “A for results” Chris Culligan with assists by Slaney and Ouellet.

Halifax took 6 penalties, allowing Cape Breton two 5 on 3 PP opportunities. What is unusual is that Andrew White was actually assessed two minor penalties. White does not normally take penalties. During his 64 regular season games he had 29 PIM. Only Knotek (18 PIM) and Pridham (28 PIM) took less penalties.

Once in the box Whitey put on his ‘I am going to kill you now eyes’ and exclaimed “holy fuck……fuck (something)”. It was actually kinda cute, but I am biased because I like him, his good positioning, his hard work ethic and his shifty ‘I am going to kill you now’ eyes so much. I like him more with every passing day, and there is no real excuse for this exponential growth in affection. They left him in the box and threw Logan in there with him and inside the box became very angry and full of dirty looks and “holy fuck” combined with “fuck this” faces. The box is probably now haunted by the spirits of two very angry boys.

I actually had a dream featuring Andrew once, and in my dream he was a total…mmmm how to put this delicately…ass, and yet it only made me like him more. I came out of it thinking 'mmmmm saucy'.

Oh, and remember how I said I cursed the answer to the question “steak or sushi”, well I actually cursed the question. Bryce Swan, who was out of the game with a concussion was Shannon’s guest for ‘the quick card minute’ and this was his second time doing 10 questions, so she asked him some new questions which did not include the steak question. Yes my jinxing powers are just that strong.