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 Saint John Sea Dogs

Late Comeback Falls Short as Sea Dogs Drop Game 3 to Drakkar

March 31, 2015 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar
(Saint John Sea Dogs, Credit: David Connell)

SAINT JOHN - Jeremy Gregoire's goal with under five minutes remaining in the third period proved to be the winner as the Baie-Comeau Drakkar held off the Saint John Sea Dogs, 6-5, in Game 3 of their first-round Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff series Tuesday at Harbour Station.

Nicolas Meloche, Vaclav Karabacek, Simon Desbiens, Maxime St-Cyr and Matthieu Desautels also tallied for Baie-Comeau.

Mark Tremaine, Adam Bateman, Samuel Dove-McFalls, Spencer Smallman and Mathieu Joseph replied for Saint John.

The Sea Dogs trail the best-of-seven series 3-0.

The Drakkar thought they had taken an early lead when Luca Ciampini picked up a loose puck in front of the net and jammed it underneath Sea Dog goalie Sebastien Auger. The play was reviewed and reinforced the initial no-goal call on the ice.

Saint John's best chance of the period came with about seven minutes remaining.

Joseph sprung Dove-McFalls for a short breakaway. The Montreal-native snapped a quick wrist shot that Drakkar goalie Philippe Cadorette snagged with his glove hand.

The Sea Dogs broke the ice two minutes into the second period.

Defenceman Jakub Zboril sent a long shot from the left point that deflected past Cadorette's left side and off the goal post. Tremaine batted the puck into an open cage.

Meloche tied the contest six minutes later with a power play goal.

The second-year blueliner took a long wrist shot from the centre of the point and beat a screened Auger over his blocking arm.

The Drakkar took its first lead of the night with under seven minutes remaining in the period when a point shot was tipped wide to the right of Auger. Karabacek found the loose puck and jammed it inside the right post.

But Saint John recovered to tie the game 2-2 late in the frame.

During a delayed penalty call, Smallman fanned on a shot from the right circle and the puck bounced in front of the net. Bateman moved in from the point and hammered a slap shot past Cadorette's blocker.

The third period saw the teams combine for seven goals, but a highlight-reel save created a buzz early.

Two minutes into the period, a scramble in the Sea Dog zone saw Baie-Comeau forward Nicolas Leblond end up with an open shot in the slot.

The winger chipped a chance from about ten feet in front of the crease, but Auger, lying on his left side, kicked his leg in the air and deflected the puck wide of an open net.

Still, the Drakkar came back and scored under a minute later.

Desbiens and Karabacek worked a long give-and-go, with Desbiens snapping a short wrist shot under the crossbar from the right wing side.

Baie-Comeau thought they had taken a two-goal lead thirty seconds later when a point shot squeezed through Auger and was subsequently buried by Chad Pietroniro. Replay officials wound the clock back to a close play at the blueline as the Drakkar entered the zone and ruled it offside, meaning the goal was called back.

St-Cyr did double the visitors' advantage twelve minutes into the period.

The league's leading goal-scorer in the regular season skated through the slot and tipped in a point shot from Meloche.

Just over a minute later, Desautels joined a rush on the right wing and whistled a wrist shot past Auger's glove to create a 5-2 game.

Saint John would not quit, and Dove-McFalls answered with under six minutes to go, keeping the puck on a 2-on-1 and ripping a wrist shot under Cadorette's blocker.

Gregoire, the Drakkar captain, responded just over a minute after that. The Montreal Canadiens' prospect picked up a rebound to the right wing side of the crease and snapped it past a helpless Auger to make it 6-3.

The Sea Dogs closed the gap to two with under two minutes left, as Smallman finished off a give-and-go with Mark Tremaine with a quick wrister from the left side of the crease.

With the team's skating 4-on-4, Saint John pulled Auger for an extra attacker and got within one with 12.7 seconds left.

Joseph corralled the puck in the bottom of the right circle and whipped a shot the beat a screened Cadorette.

But that's as close as Saint John would come.

Cadorette made 36 saves to earn the win. Auger stopped 34 shots in a losing cause.

Gregoire's goal and three points made him first star while Meloche's goal and assist merited a second-star selection. Auger was named third star in front of 2,082 fans in attendance.

Game 4 is Thursday, April 2nd, at 7 p.m. at Harbour Station. Tickets are available at the Harbour Station Box Office, online at harbourstation.ca or by calling 657-1234.

Listen LIVE on 96.1 NewSong FM or online at newsongfm.ca. Watch LIVE online on QMJHL Live (fee applies). Also watch LIVE on Rogers TV Channel 10.





Images from this story

Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar

(David Connell)
Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar

(David Connell)
Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Baie-Comeau Drakkar

(David Connell)

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