Sea Dogs crown Prince Edward Island
Published on December 2, 2007 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
SAINT JOHN, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs continued their dominance of the P.E.I. Rocket on Sunday afternoon, beating their divisional rivals by a score of 10-3 at Harbour Station to earn their third consecutive lopsided victory over the East Division's last-place squad.
After P.E.I. scored the first goal of the afternoon, Saint John reeled of seven unanswered tallies to seize control of the match in a most unsubtle manner. Several Sea Dogs players turned in notable performances in the one-sided affair, with Francois Gauthier (2), Chris DiDomenico, Ryan Sparling, Yann Sauve, Steven Anthony, Alexandre Leduc (2), Scott Howes, and Alex Grant all scoring on Sunday. Meanwhile, Geoff Walker, Nathan DesRoches, and Maxim Cliche tallied markers for P.E.I.in a losing effort.
Rookie goaltender Robert Mayer earned the win in net for the Sea Dogs, making 24 saves on 27 shots to improve his record to 8-3 on the season overall and 3-0 against the Rocket. Marc-Antoine Gelinas was assessed the loss for P.E.I., his record now standing at 6-4 as a result.
The Sea Dogs are now 19-7-1-2 following this afternoon's victory, their current winning streak standing at six games.
The Rocket struck first on Sunday, with Geoff Walker and Brett Morrison hooking up on a highlight-reel passing play deep in Sea Dogs territory. Walker finished off the play, tapping a levitating puck over a sprawling Mayer to earn his 13th goal of 2007-08.
Saint John tied things up 2:19 later when Chris DiDomenico knocked a loose puck to the back of the P.E.I. net to earn his 25th goal of the season, a mark that ties his own team record for tallies in a season set during the 2006-07 campaign.
Mayer then came up with a pair of sensational stops midway through the first, stoning Matthew Lachaine with a huge blocker save prior to stacking the pads to rob Benoit Gevais of a goal after the defenseman one-timed a hard, low slap shot from fifteen feet out.
The home team responded positively to their goaltender's stellar play, with Steven Anthony producing the go-ahead goal at the 13:13 mark of the opening frame, taking a pass from Matthew Stoddard near the slot and skilfully manoeuvring towards the P.E.I. net prior to unleashing an incredible backhand shot from close range that rocketed over Gelinas' left shoulder to earn the 16-year old his fifth goal of the season.
Saint John went up 3-1 with 4:18 remaining in the first when Scott Howes slid a cross-ice pass to Francois Gauthier which was promptly wired to the back of the Rocket net by the 19-year old winger.
The home team's offence continued to roll 2:30 later, as Yann Sauve unleashed a howitzer of a slap shot from the point that Gelinas was unable to block, giving the Sea Dogs a 4-1 lead as the opening twenty came to an end.
Team Captain Alex Grant put Saint John up by four 4:10 into the second period, wiring a wrist shot past Gelinas to earn his eighth goal of the season. Antoine Lafleur subsequently replaced Gelinas in net for the Rocket, but the 19-year old's installation between the pipes could do little to interrupt the Sea Dogs offensive onslaught, as Scott Howes scored his 14th goal of the season shortly after the Rocket's goaltending change.
The Sea Dogs went up by an unconverted touchdown 10:16 into the middle frame when Francois Gauthier rifled a wrist shot from the face-off circle to Lafleur's left that found its way to the back of the P.E.I. net by way of the top corner.
After a goal by Nathan DesRoches cut Saint John's lead to five, the score was made 8-2 by Ryan Sparling, who fired a shot into an open P.E.I. net after being set up perfectly by Chris DiDomenico deep in the visitors' zone. Saint John's eighth goal of the afternoon set a franchise record for most markers in a single match, eclipsing the previous mark set on October 20, 2006 in a 7-2 win over the Fog Devils at Harbour Station.
The third period saw the Sea Dogs' offensive supremacy continue unabated, as Alexandre Leduc notched his seventh tally of the season with 16:39 remaining in regulation to put Saint John up 9-2. Following a goal by Maxim Cliche, Leduc scored again in the third, propelling Saint John's goal total into double digits.
Leduc's second of the afternoon proved to be the final tally of the match, as Saint John had wrapped up their impressive weekend performance with an exclamation point, their joint victories over Halifax and P.E.I. combining to produce a profound statement regarding their burgeoning powerhouse status in the QMJHL East.
Up next for the Sea Dogs is a Wednesday night match versus the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at Harbour Station. The action gets underway at 7:00pm as Saint John looks to win their seventh straight contest.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from December 2, 2007
- Sea Dogs crown Prince Edward Island - Saint John Sea Dogs
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