QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs

Offensive Explosion on the Island

Published on February 15, 2012 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


CHARLOTTETOWN - The Saint John Sea Dogs dominated a fight-filled affair on Prince Edward Island Wednesday, downing the Rocket 10-1 for their 10thstraight win.

All but three players recorded a point as the Sea Dogs matched their biggest goal output of the season. Jonathan Huberdeau had two goals and two assists, Tomas Jurco had two goals and a helper and Maxime Villemaire tallied twice for the visitors. Charlie Coyle added a goal and two assists, Oliver Cooper and Danick Gauthier each notched a goal and a helper, and Stanislav Galiev chipped in a single. Ryan Tesink had two assists and Mathieu Corbeil made 21 saves for the win.

The Sea Dogs, who also scored 10 goals in a 10-3 win over P.E.I. in Saint John on Oct. 22, are the only team to win 10 straight games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season. They reached the 40-win plateau for the third straight season and the fourth time in five years, and remain first overall at 40-14-0-2.

Alex Noel had the lone marker for P.E.I. Maxime Lagace got the start in goal and allowed four goals on eight shots before giving way to Antoine Bibeau. Bibeau stopped 20 of 26 in relief as the Rocket fell to 17-34-2-2.

The rough stuff started early as Wes Herrett of the Rocket took responded to a big hit by Villemaire by dropping the gloves with the six-foot-two, 219-pound Saint John forward at 1:31. Huberdeau opened the scoring at 4:15 when he broke in alone and beat Lagace with a deke to the backhand. Charles Roussel and Nathan Beaulieu had the assists on the goal.

Cooper doubled the lead at 9:58 when he knocked the puck out of the air in a scramble. Huberdeau and Grant West, both buzzing around the net, received assists as the 16-year-old reached the 10-goal plateau.

Coyle made it 3-0 when he threw it on net from the left wing, and banked it in off Lagace for his ninth, with the assist going to Tesink. Jimmy Oligny of the Rocket got mixed up in the celebration and Stephen MacAulay took exception, dropping the gloves with the P.E.I. pest for the period's second scrap.

The Dogs struck again on a 4-on-3 power play at 14:15. Coyle took a pass from Beaulieu, sent it down low to Huberdeau at Lagace's left. The captain slid it cross-ice to Jurco, who finished to bring Lagace's night to an end.

The main event of the prominently pugilistic period was a spirited tilt between West and Alex Gallant. The pair exchanged several heavy blows at centre ice and both stayed on their feet throughout the bout. The rough stuff continued with a scrum at 18:53 that left the Sea Dogs short-handed to start the third.

But Saint John continued scoring. First Villemaire converted 55 seconds into the second period, breaking in short-handed on a pass from Corbeil and beating Bibeau with a shot just two seconds after the penalty expired. Jurco then added a bona fide short-hander at 2:40, taking a feed from Tesink and burying it for his 27th.

Saint John native Matthew Bursey had a chance to break the shutout when he rang a shot off the crossbar about 3:30 in, but the Sea Dogs struck again on Villemaire's goal at 6:33. Coyle and Zack Phillips assisted on the goal, Villemaire's 12th of the season and his fourth in six games as a Sea Dog.

It appeared he would not get the opportunity to go for the hat trick, however, as Gallant chased him down and instigated a fight at 8:10. The bout ended with some extra ugliness, as Villemaire received a double-minor for head-butting Gallant, who took a late swing over top of the linesemen in retaliation as the fight was being broken up. Both players were announced as being ejected for their second fight of the evening, with Gallant receiving an extra game misconduct for instigating. In a strange twist, Villemaire returned to the game in the third period.

Noel got the Rocket on the board at 1:12 of the third, knocking a rebound through a crowd from the slot.

Gauthier restored the seven-goal lead on a power play at 8:04, taking a pass from Kevin Gagne down low and executing a nice skill play to tip it between his legs with his back to the net. Pierre Durepos also assisted on the goal, Gauthier's team-best 39th of the campaign.

Galiev then made it 9-1 at 8:44 when he threw a puck on net that found its way through. Cooper assisted on the goal, Galiev's sixth.

Huberdeau made it double digits with his 19th of the year at 12:39, with assists from Gauthier and Jurco.

Saint John's next game is at home against the Quebec Remparts Friday. The start time has been changed to 8 p.m. to accommodate Rogers Sportsnet, which is televising the game nationally. In addition, it is Country Music Night at Harbour Station, sponsored by CHSJ Country 94. Fans are encouraged to wear their cowboy boots and hats, on-air personalities will be in attendance and country music will be played throughout the game.

Just six home games remain in the regular season - fans are encouraged to cash in their flex packs early. Tickets for all home games are available at the Harbour Station box office, by calling 506-657-1234 or online at www.tickets.harbourstation.ca.

Tickets are available at the Harbour Station box office, by calling 506-657-1234 or online at www.tickets.harbourstation.ca.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from February 15, 2012


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