Sea Dogs Blank Sagueneens 6-0
Published on January 17, 2010 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
SAINT JOHN, NB --- The league-leading Saint John Sea Dogs (38-7-1-0) set a team record on Sunday afternoon, accumulating 56 shots on goal during a 6-0 shellacking of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens (16-22-4-4) at Harbour Station.
Simon Després Steven Anthony, Zack Phillips, Michael Kirkpatrick, Mike Hoffman, and Mike Thomas all scored for the home team in the lopsided victory, while sophomore goalie Karel St-Laurent stopped all 25 shots sent his way by Chicoutimi skaters in registering the third shutout of his career.
Meanwhile, rookie Sagueneens net minder Robin Gusse suffered the 14th loss of his season despite turning in a commendable 50-save performance between the pipes for the visitors.
Gusse was extremely busy throughout the opening twenty minutes of play as Saint John outshot Chicoutimi 25-6 in the first period. The lone goal of the stanza came off the stick of superstar forward Mike Hoffman, who rifled a wrist shot to the back of the Sagueneens' net during a late-frame power play to give the hosts a 1-0 lead as Sunday's contest reached the first intermission.
The Sea Dogs doubled their lead 5:15 into the second period, with Mike Thomas getting credit for his seventh of the year after a Sagueneens defenseman inadvertently banked the puck into his own net off of the Saint John Captain's shin pads. A minute-and-a-half later, Michael Kirkpatrick finished off a nifty tic-tac-toe passing play by firing the 18th goal of his season into an open Chicoutimi net, putting the Sea Dogs up by a field goal in the process.
Saint John then pulled ahead 4-0 courtesy of Steven Anthony, who buried his 16th goal of the year on a semi-wraparound play following a successful face-off win by Kirkpatrick in Chicoutimi's zone.
Simon 'Big Horse' Després beat Gusse on a slap shot high, blocker-side to make the score 5-0 eleven-and-a-half minutes into the third period, officially categorizing Sunday's match as a 'blowout' in doing so. Rookie winger Zack Phillips then got in on the action, capitalizing on a turnover in Chicoutimi territory and making a couple of nice stick-handling moves and chipping his eighth of the year past the Sagueneens' puck-battered goaltender. Stanislav Galiev, celebrating his 18th birthday, picked up the lone assist on the play.
St-Laurent made some nice saves in the late-going to preserve his shutout bid, ultimately registering his eleventh consecutive victory by a 6-0 final.
Up next for the Port City's major junior squad is a Friday night tilt with the Quebec Remparts at Pepsi Coliseum. The puck drops at 8:30pm AST as the Sea Dogs look to earn two big points on the road versus the top team in the Telus East Division.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from January 17, 2010
- Victoriaville routs Montreal 5 to 1 - Montreal Juniors
- Sea Dogs Blank Sagueneens 6-0 - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Tommy Tremblay Suspended Four Games - QMJHL
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