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 Saint John Sea Dogs

Sea Dogs End Skid with Shootout Win over Islanders

November 27, 2013 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


SAINT JOHN - Spencer Smallman and Nathan Noel scored shootout goals to help the Saint John Sea Dogs end an eight-game losing streak, and defeat the Charlottetown Islanders 3-2 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Wednesday at Harbour Station.

Jurij Repe and Oliver Cooper had goals in regulation time for Saint John (7-18-0-3), which picked up its second win of the season against the Islanders.

Daniel Sprong scored both in regulation and in the shootout for Charlottetown (13-11-1-3), which have now lost three straight games.

The Sea Dogs created several offensive chances early in the contest.

Forward Mackenzie Brown took a drop pass from Samuel Dove-McFalls on the right wing side and fired a wrist shot that Islanders' goalie Antoine Bibeau kicked out with his left foot.

About three minutes later, Dove-McFalls could not bury a quick wrister from the low slot.

Bibeau, a 2013 sixth-round draft choice of the Toronto Maple Leafs, continued solid play in the second half of the period, stoning P.E.I.-native Stephen Anderson on a breakaway before watching Matthew Highmore lift the rebound over the net.

The Sea Dogs finally got to Bibeau with under four minutes left in the period.

In the dying seconds of a 5-on-3 power play, Highmore found Repe pinching in from the point, and fed a short pass from the right wing side of the goal that the Slovenian blueliner ripped between the legs of the Charlottetown goalie to create a 1-0 Saint John lead.

Cooper doubled the score on another man advantage 1:41 later.

The Fredericton product stood in the slot and deflected an one-timer from defenceman Olivier LeBlanc past Bibeau.

Saint John outshot Charlottetown 18-9 in the first period.

The Islanders cut the deficit in half just over two minutes into the second on a turnover at the Charlottetown line.

Sprong forced the puck out to centre and charged ahead on a breakaway. The Charlottetown rookie and team-leading scorer deked Sea Dogs' goalie Sebastien Auger and tucked the puck between his legs to make it a 2-1 game.

Auger faced another clear chance about four minutes later, but the 19-year-old goaltender stood tall and stoned Phoenix Coyotes' prospect Yan Pavel Laplante.

Saint John edged Charlottetown 7-6 in shots on goal in the second period.

The Islanders tied the game 34 seconds into the third.

Forward Alexandre Goulet gathered up a loose puck on the left side of the Saint John zone, and found a wide open Spenser Cobbold in front of the net. The 19-year-old, who started the season with the OHL's Mississauga Steelheads, shot it past Auger's blocker to create a 2-2 deadlock.

The goalies traded big saves as the third period continued.

About seven minutes into the frame, Auger made a flashy glove stop on a shot by Alexis Pepin from the slot.

Cooper was found alone to the left wing side of the Charlottetown net a couple of minutes later, but a chip shot from close range would not get by Bibeau.

Cooper had another chance on a breakaway with five minutes left.

The third-year Sea Dog cut across from the left wing to the right, but Bibeau stayed focused on the puck and used his left foot to stymie Cooper again.

The Islanders outshot Saint John 8-7 in the third period.

Overtime would not produce a winner. Charlottetown held a 3-2 shot edge in the extra session. Saint John won the overall shot count 34-26.

Sprong, the first shooter in the penalty shot contest, used a backhand deke to beat Auger to open the scoring in the shootout.

Smallman came right back and beat Bibeau with a low shot on the glove side.

Islanders' defenceman Anthony Cortese lost control of his backhand chance and could not get a shot on Auger.

Noel would give the Sea Dogs an edge with a beautiful deke to his backhand, beating Bibeau on the blocker side.

Auger stopped forward Bradley Kennedy's deke with his left pad, giving Saint John the extra point, and ending the team's eight-game slide.

The Saint John goalie ended the night with 24 saves and two more in the shootout.

Bibeau was named second star with 32 stops.

Cooper took first star honours with a two-point night.

The Sea Dogs' next game is Friday, November 29th, at 7:30 p.m. against the Val-d'Or Foreurs at Harbour Station. It's the sixth game of the MOvember Challenge. It's also Bingo Night, in support of The Empty Stocking Fund.

Tickets are available at the Harbour Station box office, online at tickets.harbourstation.ca, or by calling 657-1234. Listen LIVE on News 88.9 FM. Watch LIVE on TELUS (via theqmjhl.ca - fee applies).


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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 27, 2013


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