Sea Dogs #1 In The QMJHL Following 3-1 Win Over Sagueneens
Published on October 29, 2009 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
CHICOUTIMI, QC --- The Saint John Sea Dogs laid claim to sole possession of the top spot in the QMJHL on Thursday night, earning a highly-impressive 3-1 win over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens at the Georges Vezina Centre to capture their 28th and 29th points of 2009-10 and surge past the idle Drummondville Voltigeurs to become the league's #1 team
Saint John (14-4-1-0) has now won six consecutive games to extend their lead in the Atlantic Division to three points over the second-place Moncton Wildcats.
Steven Anthony, Yann Sauvé, and Jonathan Huberdeau all scored for the Sea Dogs in Thursday's road victory, while Marc-Antoine Gélinas made 20 saves in picking up his tenth win of the year.
Import goalie Christopher Gibson, meanwhile, stopped 36 shots in a losing effort for the Sagueneens, who received the entirety of their offensive output on the night from Michael Stinziani.
Saint John jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Thursday thanks to a tremendous individual effort by 16-year old speedster Jonathan Huberdeau. Entering the hosts' zone with a full head of steam, the rookie forward skillfully maneuvered around a Chicoutimi defender and banked home a wrist shot off of a post to register the fourth goal of his freshman campaign 3:02 into the match.
The visitors dominated play throughout the duration of the first period, ultimately outshooting their opponents 17-7 in the opening frame as the twenty minute mark was reached with Saint John in possession of a one-goal advantage and seemingly in command of the match.
Chicoutimi tied things up at one apiece early in the second period however, as overage winger Michael Stinziani beat Gélinas on a well-placed shot during a Sagueneens power play in the opening minute of the stanza.
Steven Anthony then reclaimed the lead for Saint John at the 7:58 mark of the middle frame. Following a Michael Kirkpatrick face-off win in Chicoutimi's zone, the Vancouver Canucks prospect reached behind him to grab the puck at the top of the slot and quickly turned back towards the Sagueneens net, squaring off with Gibson and rifling a high wrist shot past the rookie goaltender's glove to improve his 2009-10 goals total to ten.
The Sea Dogs went up 3-1 courtesy of star defenseman Yann Sauvé, who wired a long-range wrist shot to the back of the hosts' net in the 34th minute of play to tally his fourth of the year. Nathan Beaulieu and Zack Phillips both picked up assists on Sauvé's even-strength marker, which extended the veteran rearguard's point streak to six games.
Saint John successfully killed of a series of penalties in the late stages of the second, with a highlight-reel stop by Marc-Antoine Gelinas preserving the visitors' two-goal lead in the period's final minute. The red hot net minder robbed Antoine Roussel with a sprawling pad save after the 20-year old winger accepted a pass immediately in front of the Sea Dogs' net with nary a defender in sight and tried to sneak a low shot across the goal line following a nifty deke only to be denied in spectacular fashion.
Both goalies played quite well throughout regulation's final frame, combining to make 17 saves as neither team's offence was able to add to their respective scoring total throughout a hard-fought closing twenty minutes of action.
Saint John ended up outshooting Chicoutimi 39-21 in Thursday's match, taking the decision by a 3-1 final in the process.
Up next for the Sea Dogs is a Friday night tilt with the Drakkar. The puck drops at 8:30pm AST at the Henry Leonard Centre as Saint John looks to pick up their seventh straight win at Baie-Comeau's expense.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from October 29, 2009
- Juniors Pull Away in Second, Top Halifax 6-2 - Montreal Juniors
- Remparts Down Cats 5-2 - Moncton Wildcats
- Sea Dogs #1 In The QMJHL Following 3-1 Win Over Sagueneens - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Allen And Aubry Miss The Trip To The Maritimes - Montreal Juniors
- Cats Coffee Talk - Moncton Wildcats
- QMJHL, Teams To March Alongside Veterans' Week - QMJHL
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
