SYDNEY, N.S. — If it feels like the Cape Breton Eagles and Halifax Mooseheads have faced each other a lot this season, you're not wrong.
For the fifth time in two weeks, the Eagles and Mooseheads will clash in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action with the latest installment slated for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Centre 200 in Sydney.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions in New Brunswick, the only Maritime teams allowed to participate in game action are the Eagles, Mooseheads and Charlottetown Islanders.
The three teams have been playing each other on a regular basis since the league's restart late last month, while the New Brunswick-based Acadie-Bathurst Titan, Moncton Wildcats and Saint John Sea Dogs haven't played games since November.
However, some good news for the league and its New Brunswick clubs — the province has recently moved to the orange zone with COVID-19 cases shrinking, meaning the Titan, Wildcats and Sea Dogs are able to return to practice.
Meanwhile, the Eagles and Mooseheads enter Tuesday's game tied with 22 points in the league standings with the Eagles 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games, compared to the Mooseheads' 2-7-1-0.
Cape Breton and Halifax last met on Sunday in Halifax with the Eagles posting a 4-3 victory.
Dawson Stairs, Nathan Larose, Émile Hegarty-Aubin and Sydney's Trey Struge netted goals for the Eagles (11-13-0-0). Robert Orr found the back of the net twice and Zack Jones chipped in with a single for the Mooseheads (8-13-3-3).
Cape Breton's William Grimard made 39 saves. Halifax's Alexis Gravel stopped 20 of 24 shots.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
CAPE BRETON EAGLES
• Record: 11-13-0-0 - 22 Points
• Standings: 5th in the Maritime Division and 14th in the QMJHL
• Power Play Percentage: 25.0 (3rd in the 'Q')
• Penalty Kill Percentage: 82.1 (8th in the 'Q')
• Last 10: 5-5-0-0
• Top Scorers: Jarrett Baker (5 goals, 19 assists, 24 points), Nathan Larose (13 goals, 10 assists, 23 points), and Liam Kidney (11 goals, 9 assists, 20 points)
- NHL Property: None
HALIFAX MOOSEHEADS
• Record: 8-13-3-3 - 22 Points
• Standings: 6th in the Maritime Division and 15th in the QMJHL
• Power Play Percentage: 13.6 (17th in the 'Q')
• Penalty Kill Percentage: 72.3 (16th in the 'Q')
• Last 10: 2-7-1-0
• Top Scorers: Elliot Desnoyers (12 goals, 15 assists, 27 points), Markus Vidicek (7 goals, 14 assists, 21 points), and Robert Orr (10 goals, 10 assists, 20 points)
• NHL Property: Elliot Desnoyers (Philadelphia), Justin Barron (Colorado) and Alexis Gravel (Chicago - unsigned)
Despite posting a win and a loss on the weekend — the defeat coming at the hands of the Charlottetown Islanders, 8-2, on Saturday in P.E.I. — the Eagles have been battling injury problems for most of the month.
Davis Cooper, Jarrett Baker, Jacob Santerre, Jérémy Langlois and Logan Camp — all with upper-body injures — missed both Saturday and Sunday games.
Forward Connor Trenholm missed the club's game in Charlottetown with an upper-body injury but returned to the ice against the Mooseheads on Sunday. Defenceman Zach Welsh played Saturday in P.E.I. but was listed out with an upper-body injury on Sunday.
Because of the injury situation, Cape Breton called up forwards Sturge (Truro, MHL) and Kian Bell (Steele Subaru, Dartmouth, NSU18MHL) along with defencemen Michael McQuaid (Yarmouth, MHL), Jacob Christie (Truro, MHL) and Tanner Greatorex (Truro, MHL).
Bell, Sturge, Christie and Greatorex were reassigned to their respective teams, while McQuaid remains with the Eagles.
As for point production, Stairs has been one of the hottest players on the team this month, posting six goals and 11 points in six games since being traded to the Eagles last month.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Elliot Desnoyers has struggled offensively for the Mooseheads since starting the season with 25 points in 12 games, including 13 goals. Desnoyers hasn't scored a goal since Nov. 18 and has one point in seven games this month.
Following Tuesday's contest, the Eagles and Mooseheads will tangle again Friday when Halifax returns to Sydney. Game time is 7 p.m. at Centre 200.
Jeremy Fraser is a sports and breaking news reporter for the Cape Breton Post. He's been with the publication for four years. Follow Jeremy on Twitter @CBPost_Jeremy.
