Homecoming season continued at the Scotiabank Centre on Friday.
Patty Kyte and Raphael Lavoie both played their first game in Halifax since being dealt to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens by the Mooseheads during the mid-season trade period. They helped their new team beat up on their old club 8-3.
"It was my first time being traded and first time playing against an old team," Kyte said. "But I'm getting used to Chicoutimi now. They've been very welcoming and they're a great organization. The boys are a good group, so it's taken some time but I'm enjoying it so far."
As they did a week ago when former captain Bo Groulx returned to Halifax with the Moncton Wildcats, the Mooseheads played a tribute video for their ex-players during a time-out in the first period. The Mooseheads also acknowledged Lavoie's world junior gold medal in a pre-game ceremony.
"It was unreal," Kyte said. "It brought back a lot of memories and it was emotional. It was a great video by the organization. It was so nice of them to do that. It felt special to be back because this was possibly my last game in Halifax. "
The Sagueneens are loaded up for a deep playoff run and it showed against the rebuilding Mooseheads. They blitzed them early and then settled in for a comfortable finish. Halifax did well to keep grinding but Chicoutimi is just too stacked.
"They did a great job here of picking guys up at the deadline," Kyte said. "This is our full team now except for (Dawson) Mercer and he's going to be a great addition. We've got some top-end forwards and some winners on the team like (Rafael) Harvey-Pinard, (Felix) Bibeau and (Justin) Ducharme. They know what it takes so it's going to be an exciting second half."
It seemed fitting Lavoie opened the scoring as the Sagueneens built a 4-0 first-period lead that became 5-1 in the second. It was just a matter of going through the motions in the final 20 minutes. Kyte provided the perfect bookend when he closed the scoring late in the third period.
"That was cool," Kyte said. "It's nice that he got the first one and then it was a good ending. Halifax battled well. They're a gritty team."
Harvey-Pinard, Samuel Houde, Tristan Pelletier, Karl Boudrias, Vladislav Kotkov and Felix-Antoine Marcotty also scored for the Sagueneens. Denis Toner had the first two Mooseheads goals and Jeff Burridge scored the other.
Alexis Shank and Carmine-Anthony Pagliarulo combined to stop 27 shots for Chicoutimi and Alexis Gravel made 36 saves for Halifax.
"We didn't play good in the first but after that we did a good job," said Halifax forward Alexandre David. "We had our chances but we've got to bury more.
"This team keeps working, even after each goal that we let in. It's a positive sign."
David and defenceman Olivier DesRoches both made their Mooseheads debuts. Halifax acquired David in a trade at the deadline on Monday and claimed DesRoches off waivers two days later. David earned an assist on Toner's first goal.
"It was great," David said. "It was a lot of fun playing for these fans in a big city. Everything about it is great.
"And it was good to get a point in my first game. It gets me going."
The Mooseheads' next game is on Sunday afternoon at home against the Charlottetown Islanders.
"I think if we come out strong all three periods, that's a game we can win," David said.
Notes: Sonny Kabatay, Lucas Robinson, Justin Barron and Samuel Dube did not dress for Halifax. ... The Cape Breton Eagles named Derek Gentile captain on Friday.
