Sea Dogs Earn 6-4 Win over Wildcats in Game 3 of Finals
Published on May 4, 2010 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
SAINT JOHN, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs emerged victorious from a must-win game on Tuesday night, defeating the Moncton Wildcats by a score of 6-4 at Harbour Station in Game Three of the QMJHL Finals to cut their series deficit in half. Moncton now leads the best-of-seven championship showdown 2-1.
Mike Hoffman (2), Michael Kirkpatrick (2), Danick Gauthier, and Nick Petersen all found the back of the net for Saint John in the hard-fought home win, with Gabriel Bourque (2) and Randy Cameron (2) responding for Moncton.
Overage Sea Dogs net minder Marco Cousineau, meanwhile, outdueled his Wildcats counterparts Nicola Riopel and Shane Owen, making 36 saves on 40 shots faced in improving to 13-5 on the post-season.
The home team got off to a quick start on Tuesday as rugged winger Danick Gauthier banged home his third goal of the series in the second minute of play, ending a frantic scramble in Wildcats territory by jamming the puck across Moncton's goal line to bring the capacity crowd of 6,488 to their feet as Saint John took an early 1-0 lead. Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Nick Petersen doubled the Sea Dogs' advantage a few minutes later, ripping a wrist shot past Riopel's blocker from the fringes of the slot to make the sixth goal of his post-season of the power play variety.
Saint John continued to apply heavy pressure upon their opponents in the following moments, with import wingers Stanislav Galiev and Tomas Jurco both coming extremely close to giving their team a 3-0 lead midway through the opening frame; a pair of exceptional pad saves by Riopel kept the Sea Dogs' advantage at two however. The visiting squad from the Hub City then got on the scoreboard late in the first period when a crease-hovering Gabriel Bourque one-timed a cross-ice feed from Mark Barberio to the back of Saint John's net in registering his 17th marker of the playoffs.
Veteran centre Michael Kirkpatrick put the hosts on top 3-1 at the 5:23 mark of the second period, deflecting a Nick Petersen shot past Riopel to seize sole possession of the Sea Dogs' all-time post-season goals record with 16. Superstar sniper Mike Hoffman then struck 5:53 later, netting his tenth of the playoffs to both put Saint John up by a field goal and bring an end to Nicola Riopel's night as Shane Owen took over between the pipes for Moncton following Hoffman's power play goal.
Another man-up marker, this one off the stick of Michael Kirkpatrick, then gave the Sea Dogs a 5-1 lead 14:39 into the middle frame as the 19-year old native of North Sydney, NS took over the top spot in the QMJHL playoff scoring race on his second offensive strike of the evening. Marco Cousineau stopped all nine shots sent his way by Wildcats skaters during the second period, resultantly sending Tuesday's contest into intermission number two with the home team seemingly in command of the proceedings.
The Wildcats made things interesting in the third period, scoring three unanswered goals to pull to within one of their archrivals. An empty-net tally from Mike Hoffman put the comeback attempt on ice however, as the Ottawa Senators prospect fired his second goal of the game into an open cage in the final minute of regulation to give his team the decision by a 6-4 final.
Game 4 of the QMJHL Finals goes Friday night at the Moncton Coliseum. The puck drops at 7:35pm as Saint John seeks to build upon the momentum created by this victory as they look to even the series up at two wins apiece. Tickets to Game 5 (Saturday, 7pm @ Harbour Station) will go on sale on Thursday morning at 10am at the arena box office (506-657-1234 or www.tickets.harbourstation.ca).
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from May 4, 2010
- Sea Dogs Earn 6-4 Win over Wildcats in Game 3 of Finals - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Wildcats' Gabriel Bourque Named CHL Player of the Week - QMJHL
- Saves For Cancer Gains Momentum - Moncton Wildcats
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