Mooseheads double Eagles
Logan MacMillan scores twice, Herd nets five power-play goals en route to victory 
By Matthew Wuest
The Daily News

HALIFAX - From the very first day of training camp, Logan MacMillan has looked a step ahead of the competition.

That trend continued last night, as the 17-year-old centre netted a pair of goals to help the Halifax Mooseheads double the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 6-3 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League pre-season action at the Halifax Forum.

While many players are still shaking off the summer rust, MacMillan is already in full stride after helping the Canadian under-18 team capture gold at the Ivan Hlinka memorial tournament in Breclav, Czech Republic, earlier this month.

"I was basically on the ice (three) weeks before everybody else, so I stepped in with good conditioning," said MacMillan, who has two goals, two assists and a shootout winner in three games.

"It was a big confidence-boost going (to the Czech Republic), and coming back it just makes you more prepared."

MacMillan scored twice on the power play last night, as Halifax converted five of 14 opportunities. He ripped a bullet wrist shot past Screaming Eagles goaltender Ondrej Pavelec at 6:57 of the first, then fired home a quick one-timer from the slot for the eventual game-winner at 12:42 of the second.

Versatile

He was also all over the ice on the penalty kill, at one point drawing applause from the crowd after a tenacious battle for the puck along the boards ran 30 seconds off the clock.

On top of that, he won 12 of 17 faceoffs.

"I feel better than last season - there are guys younger than me now, so it's a little easier," said MacMillan, who had 18 points in 62 games in his rookie campaign. "I think I'm a lot stronger in the corners and my skating has come a long way."

His teammates vouch for that.

"He looks like he's 19 out there, and he's only 17," said Luciano Lomanno. "He's only going to keep getting better."

The six-foot-two, 182-pound MacMillan is rated as a potential first-round pick for the 2007 NHL entry draft. He has centred a pre-season line with highly-skilled Czech Republic import Jakub Voracek and 19-year-old left-winger James Pouliot.

"We're building chemistry every day and we're starting to get to know each other's habits," said MacMillan, whose father, Bob, played 11 seasons in the NHL. "It's been going well."

Andrew White was helped to the dressing room late in the game with an apparent leg injury. The rookie forward is vying for a roster spot and scored the game's opening goal while skating on the top line with veterans Ryan Hillier and Bryce Swan.

Lomanno, Hillier and Ben MacAskill were Halifax's other goalscorers, while Chris Culligan, Dean Ouellet and Mark Barberio provided the offence for Cape Breton. Mooseheads goaltender Jeremy Duchesne got the win with 27 saves.

No fights

No fighting majors were assessed, though heated words were exchanged in a second-period skirmish between Culligan and Halifax's Daniel Smith. Cape Breton's Brad Gallant also threw a punch at Swan with just 43 seconds remaining.

NOTES: Lomanno, an over-age defenceman, sported the temporary captain's "C" last night, while forwards Garrett Peters and James Pouliot wore the assistant letters ... The QMJHL used two referees for last night's game.

mwuest@hfxnews.ca

HIGHLIGHT REEL

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League pre-season
Yesterday
At Halifax Forum

• SCORE: Halifax Mooseheads 6, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 3.

• SCORERS: Halifax — Logan MacMillan 2, Andrew White, Ben MacAskill, Luciano Lomanno, Ryan Hillier; Cape Breton — Dean Ouellet, Chris Culligan, Mark Barberio.

• GOALTENDERS: Halifax — Jeremy Duchesne (27 saves); Cape Breton — Ondrej Pavelec (33 saves).

• THE DIFFERENCE: The Mooseheads converted five of 14 power-play opportunities, including three of five in the opening period, to easily handle the Screaming Eagles.

• ATTENDANCE: 2,536.