Mooseheads end losing skid with win over Gatineau

CITYnews halifax/ By Dan Ahlstrand

Oleg Kulebiakin played the hero on Saturday night, scoring the overtime winner as the Halifax Mooseheads defeated the Gatineau Olympiques 4-3.

For the second game in a row Shawn Carrier opened the scoring early, just 48 seconds into the first period. Carlos Händel took the puck behind the Olympiques’ net and found Carrier in front who tapped it past Gatineau netminder Danai Shaiikov. Kulebiakin gave Halifax a two goal lead at 4:28, receiving a net front pass from Händel and firing it over Shaiikov.

Dylan Allie brought the Olympiques back within one but the Mooseheads restored their two goal lead at 16:07 as a shot from Kulebiakin was deflected off of Liam Kilfoil and into the Gatineau goal.

Maxim Dubé buried his 10th of the year to cut into the Halifax lead, and Nicholas Petrut tied the match on the powerplay forcing overtime.

In the extra time, Kulebiakin netted the game winner for the Mooseheads firing a rebound into the Olympiques’goal.

With the win, Halifax improves to 19-16-1-2 on the season.

The first star of the game went to Mooseheads’ defenseman Händel with a pair of assists. Jérémie Dumas-Larouche earned second star for Gatineau while third star was awarded to Kulebiakin with two goals and an assist.

Halifax is back in action on Thursday, Jan. 15, as they host the Chicoutimi Saguenéens at the Scotiabank Centre.

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m., with live coverage on 95.7 NewsRadio. Garreth MacDonald hosts the pre-game show beginning at 6:30 p.m..