The Halifax Mooseheads’ dream season is all coming down to one game - Sunday’s Memorial Cup Final.
The Mooseheads were Canada’s number one team in the regular season. They lost once in the Memorial Cup round-robin, to the Saskatoon Blades, but beat the Portland Winterhawks and London Knights, who ranked second and third in the country respectively.
The Herd have already locked up their spot in the Canadian Hockey League championship game, but their opponent has yet to be decided.
The Winterhawks and Knights face off Friday night to earn their spot in the final
“There’s no tomorrow for them,” says Mooseheads head coach Dominique Ducharme. “It’s going to be pretty intense. It should be a pretty good game.”
Hockey fan Gord McCrady will be at Friday’s game. The Ontario native is hoping for a win from the London Knights.
“This is their second year at the Memorial Cup,” says McCrady. “They’re guaranteed a spot next year, cause it’s in London. I’d really like to see Halifax win a Memorial Cup.”
Ducharme says he isn’t hoping to face one team over another.
“Either way, we’re playing London or Portland. The most important thing will be to be ourselves, our best game,” says Ducharme.
Despite the buzz surrounding the Mooseheads, 17-year-old goaltender and likely top National Hockey League draft pick Zach Fucale appears completely relaxed.
“We did have some rest, we did get on the ice yesterday, we keep moving today, we make sure we don’t lay around all day,” says Fucale. “We get ready mentally and physically.”
Sunday’s game will be the last time the Mooseheads will play together as they are now. For some of the players, it will be their last game in junior hockey.
“We know it’s going to be a hard fought game. It’s going to be a lot of fun, we want to embrace the moment,” says Fucale.
Game time is 8 p.m. Atlantic.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Rick Grant
