Sea Dogs Complete Sweep of Olympiques With 4-2 Victory
Published on April 7, 2010 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
GATINEAU, QC - For the second time in franchise history the Saint John Sea Dogs are headed to the QMJHL semi-finals. The Port City's major junior squad punched their ticket to the league's Final Four on Wednesday night at the Robert Guertin Arena, defeating the Gatineau Olympiques by a score of 4-2 to take the best-of-seven second round showdown in four games.
Michael Kirkpatrick, Yann Sauvé, Tomas Jurco, and Jonathan Huberdeau all scored for Saint John in Wednesday's hard-fought, come-from-behind road win, with Tye McGinn and Philippe Halley each finding the back of the net for Gatineau in a losing effort. Meanwhile, between the pipes, Anaheim Ducks prospect Marco Cousineau (20 saves) outdueled veteran Maxime Clermont (31 saves) in picking up his eighth win of the post-season.
After coming up empty on several early-match power play chances, the Olympiques took their first lead of the entire series 17:42 into the first period when Philippe Halley converted on a penalty shot. The rookie centre deftly elected to shoot on the prime scoring opportunity, beating Cousineau blocker-side to register his first goal of the playoffs. Tye McGinn then doubled the hosts' lead at the 7:35 mark of period number two, firing a close-range wrist shot past Cousineau's glove hand after being sprung in on a semi-breakaway by Alex Noël.
Import winger Tomas Jurco reduced the Sea Dogs' deficit to one 12:55 into the middle frame, deflecting a Mike Hoffman slap shot to the back of Gatineau's net in tallying the fifth marker of his post-season. Vancouver Canucks prospect Yann Sauvé netted the equalizer 4:48 later, firing home a wrist shot from the top of the slot during a Saint John power play.
Rookie forward Jonathan Huberdeau gave the visiting team from south western New Brunswick their first lead of the night 12:07 into period number three, blasting a slap shot past Clermont to make the ninth goal of his post-season of the clutch variety. A streaking Stanislav Galiev came close to adding an insurance marker for Saint John a moment later on a crisp snap shot, but the Russian-born sniper was denied in spectacular fashion by Clermont as Gatineau's season was kept on life support courtesy of a highlight-reel glove save from their goaltender.
The Olympiques were awarded a power play late in regulation, but the hosts were unable to capitalize on the man-up opportunity as the visitors' defensive special teams unit stepped up with a massive penalty kill. Michael Kirkpatrick then scored into an open net in the final minute of the third period to put the finishing touches on a dramatic comeback win for the Sea Dogs.
Saint John's third round series versus a to-be-determined opponent will get underway on Friday, April 16 at 7:30pm at Harbour Station. Tickets to this match as well as Game 2 of the semis (Sunday, April 18 @ 4pm) will go on sale on Thursday morning at the arena box office (506-657-1234 or www.tickets.harbourstation.ca).
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from April 7, 2010
- Sea Dogs Complete Sweep of Olympiques With 4-2 Victory - Saint John Sea Dogs
- 134 CHL Players In Final NHL Central Scouting - QMJHL
- Three Sea Dogs Players Appear On NHL's Final Draft Rankings - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Thank You To All Our Fans - Montreal Juniors
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