QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs

Sea Dogs Dominate Mooseheads

Published on October 4, 2008 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


SAINT JOHN, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs snapped a five-game losing streak in style on Saturday night, thoroughly dominating the Halifax Mooseheads in all aspects of play for sixty minutes of intense major junior hockey while exuding championship-calibre bravado in registering a 5-1 victory over the reigning division champs.

Michael Kirkpatrick, David Stich, Steven Anthony, Chris DiDomenico, and Pascal Amyot all scored for Saint John in the impressive home win, while Logan MacMillan registered the lone tally for the visitors on the night.

Between the pipes, Robert Mayer was once again outstanding for Saint John, making 30 saves on 31 shots to earn his second win of the season, capturing First Star of the Game honours in the process. At the other end of the ice, veteran goalie Mark Yetman suffered his seventh defeat of the season in net for Halifax, surrendering a quintet of tallies on 24 shots faced.

Saturday's win for Saint John coupled with a P.E.I. loss to Shawinigan moved the Sea Dogs into sole possession of fourth place in the Atlantic Division with six points. Halifax is now alone in last place, owning four points on the year.

After the opening half of the first period produced nothing in the way of quantitative offence, the Sea Dogs exploded for three goals in a span of four minutes during the frames latter half, with Pascal Amyot and David Stich both netting power play tallies on booming one-timers from the point and Steven Anthony scoring on a sensational individual effort. The 17-year old forward carried the puck into Halifax's zone with tremendous aplomb in the eighteenth minute of play prior to out-manoeuvring a defenseman and getting off a hard, low shot that Yetman blocked with a pad save. Anthony was then able to knock in his own rebound to earn his first goal of the year in spectacular fashion.

Mayer was stellar in net for Saint John throughout the opening twenty, making nine saves on nine shots to send Saturday's contest into the first intermission with the home team leading 3-0.

After a back-and-forth opening fifteen minutes of play in the second period saw neither team adding to their respective goal totals, the Mooseheads put an end to Mayer's shutout bid when, on the power play, Anaheim Ducks prospect Logan MacMillan beat the import net minder on a laser-guided wrist shot from close range.

The Sea Dogs very nearly restored their three-goal lead a moment later when Payton Liske and Francois Gauthier bore down upon Yetman on a two-on-none break. Liske's play-ending shot clanged off of a Halifax post however, resultantly keeping the visitors' two-goal deficit in tact.

With thirty seconds remaining in the middle frame, Michael Kirkpatrick and Chris DiDomenico entered the Halifax zone on another odd-man rush for the Sea Dogs, this time of the two-on-one variety. Kirkpatrick elected to shoot on the play, a decision which proved to be wise as his slap shot zoomed over Yetman's shoulder and rocketed to the back of Mooseheads' net to give the sophomore centre his fourth goal of the year and send Saturday's Atlantic Division showdown into intermission number two with Saint John leading 4-1.

The third period saw the Sea Dogs' defenseman effectively nullifying Halifax's attack in dynamic fashion, keeping the Mooseheads from mounting anything even resembling a discernable comeback attempt as the visitors were confounded time and time again by a stellar group of rearguards and a red-hot goaltender. Robert Mayer added 11 more saves to his nightly tally over the course of the closing twenty, ultimately leading his team to their second home victory of the season.

Star Sea Dogs centre Chris DiDomenico scored the lone goal of regulation's final frame, dancing around a Mooseheads defender and ripping a cannon of a snap show over Yetman's glove hand to earn his second marker of 2008-2009 with 3:48 remaining in the third.

Up next for Saint John is a Sunday afternoon road contest versus the undefeated Moncton Wildcats. The puck drops at 4:00pm as the Sea Dogs look to continue their northward ascent of the Atlantic Division's standings.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from October 4, 2008


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