FALL RIVER: Growing up, Andrew Coxhead watched the Halifax Mooseheads play many times at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax and yearned of one day playing at that level.
Now, he’ll do just that, but as the opposition looking to send Moose fans home with a loss.
Coxhead, fresh off winning a silver medal with Team Canada Black at the World U-17 hockey championships, wil be making his first visit to the rink he and his family went to Friday nights when he was younger, this time as the enemy.
The winger and his surprising Quebec Remparts (13-9-1-1) open a Maritime road swing on Nov. 24 with a 7 p.m. contest against the exciting Mooseheads (12-11-0-0).
He spoke of his younger years when he would head to what was then called the Metro Centre.
“I watched a lot of games there when I was little,” he said. “It will be real exciting to hit the ice in Halifax.”
Coxhead isn’t sure what to expect in his maiden voyage as an opposing playerinto hostile territory like Halifax. He has tallied two goals and three assists in 18 games for the Remparts as of Nov. 20. He also has 16 shots on goal, four penalty minutes and is a plus/minus-7. One of his two goals came with the man advantage.
“It should be fun,” he said. “I expect the game will be a bit nerve wrecking with all those people I know, family and friends watching me. It should be a lot of fun.
The rookie, selected by the Remparts 14th overall in the QMJHL draft last June in Charlottetown, has proven why they sought him, and were willing to make a deal with the Moncton Wildcats.
He said the season has gone better than many thought it would.
“I think it’s going quite well,” he said. “The team is doing better than expected. That’s always nice to see.”
Coxhead said with two young teams like Quebec and Halifax the fans should be in for a great game—of course he’s hoping the visitors leave with the two points.
“I’d like to beat the Mooseheads, but you never know,” he said. “They have a good team too. It should be a real good game.”
He said after the first month-plus of game action in the QMJHL, making the jump from major midget with Dartmouth Steele Subaru is an adjustment.
“It is quite a big step,” he said. “I think I’ve made the adjustment now and am feeling pretty comfortable.”
After the game in Halifax, Coxhead and Quebec head to Saint John to battle the Sea Dogs on Nov. 25; then across the Confederation Bridge Nov. 26 to play the Charlottetown Islanders before returning home to Quebec City.
phealey@enfieldweeklypress.com