Captain Attilio Biasca’s five-goal effort saves Mooseheads from themselves
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With all the star power up front for the Halifax Mooseheads, it’s easy to overlook Attilio Biasca.
The 19-year-old Swiss paces diligently, calmly intervenes on offense and always brings a high level of leadership to the table. But the popular captain took the spotlight in Saint John on Saturday night, scoring five goals for the first time in his three-year QMJHL career to help the Mooseheads avoid a disastrous upset. He snapped a 7-7 tie late in the third period to give Halifax a 10-7 win over the rebuilding Sea Dogs.
“He gave us what we needed tonight,” said Sylvain Favreau, Mooseheads head coach. “Once I made some line adjustments and put him on the left he is much more comfortable using his speed and he was able to produce for us what we obviously needed at the time. That was a great game Attilio.”
Biasca also had an assist in his very first six-point game and linemates Markus Vidicek (two goals, two assists) and Jordan Dumais (five assists) also had productive evenings.
Attilio Biasca🎩🎩🎩
🚨 Biasca 3 (13) 17:08 2nd third
🍎Vidicek, Dumais | #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/WKZEhomVbr
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) January 22, 2023
It was a new unit for Favreau, who experimented with numerous line combinations throughout the game. With 25 games left on the Mooseheads schedule, now is the time to try different looks.
“I have six or seven scenarios in mind for every game,” said Favreau. “I didn’t like the way we played, so I thought I’d inject a bit of energy by switching lines and that seemed to work.”
But as good as the offensive was, the team’s defense was just as bad. The Mooseheads led 6-3 in the third period and couldn’t keep the puck out of the net.
“For the most part, we’re going to submit this as a three (games) in three (nights) situation,” Favreau said. “It was bad puck management and there were a lot of things we didn’t do that well tonight but we got the two points which was the most important thing.”
Evan Boucher, Zachary L’Heureux and Mathieu Cataford had the other Halifax goals and Brady James and Mathis Rousseau combined for 31 saves. Rousseau came on early in the third period after James fired his sixth goal with 30 shots.
Falmouth’s Cole Burbidge scored three goals for the Sea Dogs and Alexis Cournoyer, Luka Benoit, Nicolas Bilodeau and Eriks Mateiko had one each. Olivier Brideau stopped 32 shots for Saint John.
Cole Burbidge completes the hat trick!! 🚨🧢🚨🧢🚨🧢🚨#CityofChampions pic.twitter.com/vEne5Om2cP
— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) January 22, 2023 TEAM AND ALEXANDRE DOUCET EXTEND STREAKS
The win extends the Mooseheads’ unbeaten run to 19 games.
They’ve been 17-0-2-0 since November 27 and are now within four points of first place overall. They have a 31-7-4-1 record, just behind the Quebec Remparts (34-6-1-2).
Winger Alexandre Doucet also recorded a point for a 14th straight game. He assisted in Vidicek’s first goal to give him 26 points during his streak.
Markus beats you home early
🚨 Vidicek (23) 1:08 1st third
🍎Dumais, Doucet | #GoMooseGo pic.twitter.com/Fpc8xOJqpB
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) January 21, 2023
The Mooseheads now have a week off before their next game, a home game with the Cape Breton Eagles next Saturday.
Notes: Jake Furlong (Day-to-Day), Liam Welsh and Jake Todd have not played for Halifax. Jack Martin moved into the lineup to take Furlong’s place in defense.
