QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs

Record-Setting Crowd Watches Sea Dogs Defeat Wildcats 5-2

Published on March 14, 2008 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


SAINT JOHN, NB --- The largest crowd in franchise history was on hand to see the Saint John Sea Dogs lock up second place in the QMJHL East on Friday night, as Port City's major junior squad handed the visiting Moncton Wildcats a 5-2 loss in front of 6, 538 fans at Harbour Station.

The home team dominated play throughout the vast majority of Friday's match, out-shooting their divisional and geographic rivals 52-22 en route to registering an impressive three-goal victory and earning two big points in front of their home crowd on 'Fan Appreciation Night'.

Payton Liske, Keven Charland (2), Scott Howes, and Chris DiDomenico all tallied markers for the Sea Dogs on Friday, while Ted Stephens and Mark Barberio replied for the visitors.

New Brunswick native Travis Fullerton earned his 24th win in goal for Saint John, turning aside 20 of the 22 shots sent his way on the evening. Meanwhile, Charles Lavigne was credited with the loss in net for Moncton, surrendering three goals in just-under thirteen minutes of work.

The home team struck quickly on Friday night, as star forward Chris DiDomenico intercepted an ill-advised pass by a Wildcats defenseman shortly after the opening draw and proceeded to wire a wrist shot between the pads of Lavigne to earn his 39th goal of the season at the 0:15 mark of the first period.

Six minutes later, Saint John's lead was doubled by Keven Charland, who pounced on a generous rebound created by an Alex Grant point shot and bulged the twine of Moncton's net with a quick shot to improve his 2007-08 goals total to 16.

The Wildcats responded with their first goal of the night just 35 seconds later however, as Ted Stephens grabbed a loose puck deep in Sea Dogs territory and snuck a low shot past Fullerton to cut Saint John's lead to one.

Chris DiDomenico very nearly restored Saint John's two-goal advantage near the midway mark of the opening frame, bursting into Moncton's zone and unleashing a rocket of a slap shot that had 'top corner' written all over it, but Lavigne managed to make a sensational glove save on the play, keeping his team within immediate striking distance of the Sea Dogs in the process.

Keven Charland then made the score 3-1 in Saint John's favour, as the 18-year old winger stole the puck from Wildcats defenseman Andrew Eastman in Moncton's zone and ripped a high shot over Lavigne's right shoulder, bringing and end to the Upper Canadian net minder's night 12:34 into the game.

Nicola Riopel took over goaltending duties for the visitors following Charland's second goal of the match.

At the other end of the ice, Travis Fullerton made 10 saves on 11 shots during the opening twenty minutes of play, sending his team into the first intermission with a two-goal lead by virtue of his solid play between the pipes.

After a back-and-forth, penalty-filled opening fifteen minutes of the second period produced little in the way of quantitative offence, Payton Liske put the Sea Dogs up by three in spectacular fashion, taking a pass from Yann Sauvé next to Moncton's net and dancing around a Wildcats defenseman prior to firing a perfectly-placed shot to the top of the visitors' net to register his 18th tally of the season.

Liske's highlight-reel-worthy marker proved to be the lone goal of the middle frame, as Friday night's intra-provincial showdown reached the forty minute mark with the Sea Dogs leading 4-1.

Midway through the third period, Moncton pulled to within two of Saint John, as Mark Barbeiro scored his 11th goal of the year on a snap shot from close range that managed to dribble across the Saint John goal line after Fullerton blocked a sizeable piece of the puck on his attempted save.

A moment later, a rebound goal off the stick of rugged winger Scott Howes restored the home team's three-goal advantage, as the 20-year old notched his 42nd tally of the 07-08 campaign with Alex Grant and Chris DiDomenico both picking up assists on the play.

Howes' goal proved to be the final marker of the night, as Saint John cruised to victory from there on in, finishing off their home schedule with a 5-2 win at the expense of their greatest adversaries. The Sea Dogs finish the 2007-08 campaign with a record of 6-2 versus the Wildcats.

Up next for Saint John is a Sunday afternoon road contest versus the Halifax Mooseheads. The battle between the top two teams in the East Division will be televised nationally by Rogers Sportsnet on a tape-delayed broadcast which commences at 8:00pm AST.

The Sea Dogs will hit the ice for their first-ever playoff game late next week at Harbour Station versus an as-yet-undetermined opponent. Saint John could face any of three teams - the PEI Rocket, Val-d'Or Foreurs, or Victoriaville Tigres - in their opening round series, depending upon how the three squads fair over the course of the final two days of the QMJHL season.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from March 14, 2008


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