QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs

Sea Dogs Defeat Mooseheads 3-2 To Earn Ninth Consecutive Win

November 4, 2009 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


SAINT JOHN, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs' franchise-record winning streak continued unabated on Wednesday night, as the Port City's major junior squad defeated the Halifax Mooseheads by a score of 3-2 at Harbour Station to pick up their ninth consecutive victory.

After battling to a 2-2 draw over the course of the opening 58 minutes of play, a late goal off the stick of 19-year old forward Nicholas Pard gave the Sea Dogs a hard-fought win over their divisional adversaries. Stanislav Galiev and Nick Petersen also scored for the home team in Wednesday's victory, while Gerrad Grant and Carl Gélinas replied for Halifax.

Marc-Antoine Gélinas picked up the win in net for Saint John, turning aside 17 of the 19 shots sent his way on the night to improve his league-best record to 12-3. At the other end of the ice, Mathieu Corbeil (23 saves) fell to 1-12 despite turning in a solid effort between the pipes for the visitors.

With this win Saint John is now 17-4-1-0 on the season while Halifax is 1-18-0-1. The Sea Dogs have the best record in the Atlantic Division and the highest point total (35) in the entire QMJHL.

The lone goal of the first period came courtesy of Saint John's number one offensive line. At the edge of the visitors' zone, Mike Hoffman embarrassed a few Mooseheads players with some dazzling stick-handling maneuvers as he skillfully negotiated the blue line prior to deftly firing a hard, low wrist shot on net that Corbeil managed to get a pad on, surrendering a juicy rebound in the process. Lurking near the Mooseheads' net at the time was Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Nick Petersen, who wasted no time burying the loose puck to tally the eighth goal of his overage season.

Halifax tied the match up midway through the second period when Carl Gélinas wired a one-timer to the back of the Sea Dogs net during a Mooseheads power play, improving his 2009-10 goals total to four in doing so.

The Sea Dogs retook the lead at the 1:04 mark of period number three when, on his backhand, import winger Stanislav Galiev deflected a Nathan Beaulieu point shot past Corbeil to pick up the seventh offensive strike of his rookie campaign.

A dozen minutes later, Gerrad Grant shoveled in his eighth goal of the year at the end of a lengthy scramble in Saint John's zone. Garrett Clarke and Tomas Knotek both picked assists on Grant's man-up marker, which tied the score up at two apiece in the late-going.

With 1:23 remaining in regulation, an impressive play by Olivier Ouellet produced the go-ahead goal for the hosts. After skating behind Halifax's net, the veteran forward threw a shot on net, into heavy traffic. The puck made its way through the crease only to land on the stick of Nicholas Pard, who banged in a clutch goal, his fourth of the season, which ultimately held up as the game-winner as the Sea Dogs withstood a late-match full sheet press by their opponents to hold on for the 3-2 victory.

Up next for Saint John is a Saturday night showdown with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies at Harbour Station. The puck drops at 7pm as the Sea Dogs look to take their tenth consecutive decision. Tickets to this game are available by calling the arena box office at (506) 657-1234.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 4, 2009


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