Eagles defeat Mooseheads 5-1 at Dalhousie’s newly built ice rink

The Halifax Mooseheads got their first taste of pre-season action at the newly opened Oulton-Stanish Centre on Aug. 21 against the Cape Breton Eagles on Dalhousie University’s Studley Campus. 

The game opened with a physical start as both teams exchanged hits along the boards. The Mooseheads opened the scoring when Chase Cleary fired a one-timer off a pass from Jack Cameron.

Shortly after, Owen Frick of the Eagles responded, tying the game 1-1 in the final two minutes of the first period. Cape Breton finished the period with eight minutes in penalties.

The 805 fans in attendance contributed to the Mooseheads’ energy, adding to the physical atmosphere on the ice.

Jon Greenwood, the head coach of the Dalhousie Tigers men’s hockey program, attended the pre-season showdown and hopes to see the same energy from fans before the puck drops to start the Tigers’ season. 

“To see the excitement of people in the building watching hockey is great,” says Greenwood. He is entering his first season as the Tigers bench boss. 

“We want to get the campus involved. We’re hoping to see this place full come the fall.” 

The on-campus Oulton-Stanish Centre, which can seat over 950 spectators, held its grand opening this March. The Tigers’ first game in the new arena will be on Oct. 3 when the women’s hockey team hosts St. Francis Xavier University. 

Moosehead forward Émrik Ménard, who turned 16 this past June, was the seventh overall pick in this year’s QMJHL draft. He enters the pre-season attempting to make the team and represent Moose Country at the major junior level. 

“It’s an honour for me,” says Ménard. “The crowd was very nice. I just wanted to make them feel like it’s the Stanley Cup final.” 

The second period featured a calm atmosphere with both teams taking fewer penalties and focusing on puck movement.

At the halfway mark, both teams changed goalies. The Eagles took their first lead shortly after the change when Brayden Reynolds responded with a rebound to take a  2-1 lead.

Austin Boutilier, a business and administration student at Nova Scotia Community College, attended the game as a fan. He says that the new rink is significant not only for Dalhousie students, but for the greater Halifax region. 

“There are a lot of people here; it’s great for the atmosphere,” says Boutilier. “This new rink looks great … a lot of good hockey could be played here.”

In the third period, the Mooseheads came with increased pressure, generating quicker shots, aggressive hits, and bringing the loud energy back to the Oulton-Stanish Centre. But the Eagles wouldn’t buckle. Reynolds scored his second goal of the night again, passing both defenders for a breakaway marker to extend Cape Breton’s lead to 3-1.

Frick would also score his second of the night on the power play shortly after. The energy continued to brew when Mooseheads defender Duncan Anderson responded to a hit, resulting in a fight and bringing fans to their feet.

Cape Breton later added another goal, sealing a 5-1 victory.

The Mooseheads have four more pre-season games, including two on the road and two home games in Dartmouth, before they kick off their regular season on Sept. 18 in Cape Breton, once again facing off against the Eagles.

“Sadly we lost, but the next one’s going to be better,” says Ménard. “We’re going to win the next one.”