The Halifax Mooseheads fell 8-1 to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in their first game of the 2026 playoffs.
After a scoreless first period the Saguenéens opened the scoring at 1:24 of the middle frame as Jordan Tourigny ripped a shot past Nick Cirka on the glove side. Mavrick Lachance added to the Chicoutimi lead at 13:48. It appeared the Saguenéens extended their lead to three but an interference call on Maxim Schäfer recalled the goal and sent Halifax onto a power play. Chicoutimi scored seconds later on the penalty kill as Latvian Import Peteris Bulans fired his first of the playoffs past Cirka. Daniel Walters got the Mooseheads on the board with a powerplay marker at 16:06 as the second year forward knocked the rebound off a shot from Caylen Blake past Saguenéens netminder Lucas Beckman.
Chicoutimi continued to control in the third period scoring five unanswered goals as Émile Guité, Nathan Lecompte, Bulans, Lachance and Alonso Gosselin all found the back of the Mooseheads’ net.
After the goal by Gosselin, Sam Madgett entered the game for Halifax taking over the goal in relief of Cirka.
With the Mooseheads’ loss, the Saguenéens take a 1-0 series lead.
Halifax looks to rebound on Saturday for game 2 of their playoff series with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens at Centre Georges-Vézina.
Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. Live coverage is available on 95.7 NewsRadio with Garreth MacDonald.