Gauthier Gives Dogs Win Over Olympiques
Published on January 4, 2012 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
SAINT JOHN - Danick Gauthier moved back into a tie for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League lead in goals as his game-winner lifted the Saint John Sea Dogs to a 3-2 victory over the Gatineau Olympiques Wednesday.
Gauthier's 33rd created what has become a familiar scoreline between the two sides, as three of the six games in last year's President's Cup final were 3-2 contests, including Saint John's Cup-clinching Game 6 win in Gatineau.
Zack Phillips had a goal and two assists and was named first star for the Sea Dogs, while Maxime Villemaire scored in his debut and was named third star. Aidan Kelly had two assists and Mathieu Corbeil made 26 saves for his league-leading 24th win. A crowd of 4,237 watched Saint John win its second straight at home and improve to 30-12-0-2.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau had both Gatineau goals and Francois Lacerte stopped 35 shots in a losing cause.
Villemaire wasted no time winning over the Saint John fans, scoring from in close on his first shift thanks to a nice pass from Phillips behind the net. Kelly had the other assist on the goal, the former Drummondville Voltigeur's ninth of the season.
The Sea Dogs nearly made it 2-0 when Jason Cameron deflected a Pierre Durepos point shot and the puck landed directly on top of the net. The shots were 8-1 at one point in the first, as it took Gatineau nearly seven minutes to record its first shot on goal.
Villemaire had another chance about 10 minutes in, splitting the defence with speed and taking it to the net, but Lacerte stood his ground to make the save. The Gatineau goaltender made an incredible save on the next shift, robbing Brock Morrison on a rebound with a quick reaction save.
Saint John held a 15-6 lead on the shot clock after one, but allowed Gatineau to get even in the second. The Dogs again could have seized a two-goal lead, this time on a power play early in the frame, but Gauthier missed the net on a cross-ice feed from Phillips.
Phillips scored a goal of his own on a 2-on-1 with Kelly at 8:16 of the second, snapping a shot past Lacerte to make it 2-0. It was the 21st goal of the year for the acting captain.
The 'Piques got one back off the stick of Pageau at 10:39, and threatened to equalize when Saint John took three straight penalties, giving Gatineau over five minutes of power-play time, including about a minute of 5-on-3. But Saint John escaped the threat with some good penalty killing and a got bit of luck when Adam Chapman took a pass in front but missed a wide open net. Corbeil also came up with several saves, the best when he flashed the glove to rob Pageau from point-blank range with 5:24 to go.
Saint John had another golden opportunity to go up by two when Morrison took advantage of turnover in front, but Lacerte stopped his deke, and Stephen Anderson on the rebound.
Gatineau then scored a short-hander, when Christian Ouellet deked out Corbeil and feathered a pass around the goalie to Pageau for a tap-in at 18:57.
The Dogs came back the other way and scored on the power play, however, with Gauthier taking a feed from Phillips down low and getting a backhander upstairs over Lacerte's blocker on the short side. Durepos had the other assist on Gauthier's 33rd goal, which gave Saint John a 3-2 lead heading into the second intermission.
Saint John was able to hold on to that advantage, outshooting the Olympiques 10-7 in the final frame. Gatineau pulled Lacerte in the final minute in favour of the extra attacker, but could not get a shot past Corbeil.
The Sea Dogs are on the road Saturday in Halifax to take on the Mooseheads, a 7 p.m. start. Tim Roszell will have the call on News 88.9 FM. Fans can also catch all the action online via the official TELUS QMJHL webcast (click HERE to order; charges apply).
Saint John returns home Thursday to face the Memorial Cup host Shawinigan Cataractes at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the Harbour Station box office, by calling 506-657-1234 or online at www.tickets.harbourstation.ca.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from January 4, 2012
- Ouellet and Gagnon traded to Chicoutimi - Gatineau Olympiques
- Gauthier Gives Dogs Win Over Olympiques - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Dogs Exchange Defencemen with PEI - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Mooseheads Ask Fans to Wear White Friday Vs PEI - Halifax Mooseheads
- QMJHL launches new mobile application powered by TELUS - QMJHL
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