While admitting he might be a bit nervous, Halifax Mooseheads defenceman Cam Whynot, of Kentville, N.S., is also thrilled to be living a “childhood dream.”
That dream is playing in front of loud crowds on home ice as the QMJHL team continues its pursuit of a league championship.
“As a kid, you come into the playoff games and all you dream about is to be on the ice one day and be in those moments,” the 19-year-old blueliner told Global News in an interview. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have the moment now.”
“It’s obviously huge for me and my family being close to home, they can come watch,” he says.
Fellow defenceman Jake Furlong, born in Upper Tantallon, admits he, too, would come to as many Mooseheads games as he could when he was younger.
“I remember that Memorial Cup run like it was yesterday,” he says. “I was at every game and being with the crazy fans that we have — they’re so passionate — (so) being one them when I was a kid was pretty special.”
Furlong’s parents are also in the stands for each home game.
“Not too many kids can grow up and play for their junior team,” he says, “especially in a market like Halifax that’s really, really hockey-devoted.”
“The fans are crazy here, like I said, so we always have that in the back of our mind that we’re from here and don’t want to take advantage of it,” Furlong says.
Furlong and Whynot aren’t the only ones with local support. Forwards Logan Crosby, Reece Peitzsche, Liam Welsh and Jake Todd also hail from Nova Scotia, as do defencemen Dylan Chisholm and Owen Phillips.
Semi-final Saturday
Following a series-clinching win over the Moncton Wildcats on Sunday, the Mooseheads have advanced to the QMJHL semi-finals.
“This is (what) we played all year for, we’re in the important time of the year,” Whynot says.
The team opens up the third round against the Sherbrooke Phoenix this weekend.
But it’s experience like a Memorial Cup win (in 2022 for the Saint John Sea Dogs) that forward Josh Lawrence hopes will help guide his new team to victory.
“I’ve been really fortunate to play for some really good organizations in my time in the (QMJHL) and to finish my time with Halifax for one last run, it’s a really, really awesome feeling,” the Fredericton native says. “I couldn’t have been in a better spot or a better opportunity.”
Meanwhile, Whynot will try to ensure nerves don’t get the best of him when the puck drops for game one of semis Saturday night at the Scotiabank Centre.
“It was a childhood dream,” he says. “Being out there is (I’m) going be a little bit nervous but more than anything, I’ll be pretty pumped.”