Sea Dogs double-up Foreurs
Published on January 29, 2010 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
SAINT JOHN, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs tied a franchise record at Harbour Station on Friday night, earning their 41st victory of the season to equal their total from the memorable 2007-08 campaign. After battling the Val-d'Or Foreurs to a 3-3 deadlock over the course of the opening fifty minutes of play, the Port City's major junior squad tallied three unanswered goals late in regulation to take the decision by a final score of 6-3.
Saint John was dominant in the special teams department on Friday, striking thrice on five man-up opportunities while going 4-for-4 on the penalty kill in laying claim to victory.
Jonathan Huberdeau, Stanislav Galiev, Michael Kirkpatrick, Nick Petersen, Nicholas Pard, and Mike Thomas all scored for the Sea Dogs in the hard-fought home win, while Cédrick Henley, Samuel Morneau, and Anthony Taylor replied for the Foreurs.
Marco Cousineau (24 saves) emerged victorious in a showdown between overage goaltenders, outdueling Raffaele D'Orso (33 saves) to improve his individual record to 16-15 on the year.
After dominating the opening half of the first period, the home team took a 1-0 lead in the fifteenth minute of play when Nicholas Pard deflected a Nathan Beaulieu shot past D'Orso during a Sea Dogs power play. Stanislav Galiev also picked up an assist on Pard's power play marker, extending his point streak to six games in the process.
Val-d'Or then scored twice early in the second period on a pair of knock-in-rebound goals to pull ahead 2-1 on the scoreboard. Jonathan Huberdeau responded for Saint John at the 7:47 mark of the stanza, pouncing on a loose puck deep in Foreurs territory and firing the ninth goal of his rookie season past a sprawling D'Orso.
A transition tally off the stick of veteran centre Michael Kirkpatrick then gave the Sea Dogs a 3-2 lead midway through the contest, with Huberdeau and Yann Sauvé drawing helpers on the play. Cousineau was strong in net for the hosts in the latter half of the middle frame, sending Friday's match into the second intermission with his team ahead by one.
After the visiting squad from City of Gold produced the equalizer 4:24 into period number three, Team Captain Mike Thomas jammed his eighth of the year across the opposition's goal line from the side of the Val-d'Or net to give Saint John a 4-3 lead with 8:01 remaining in regulation.
Stanislav Galiev then added an insurance goal for the hosts a minute-and-a-half later, redirecting a Simon Després point shot past D'Orso to improve his 2009-10 goals total to a dozen. Despite carrying a Foreurs defender on his back, Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Nick Petersen managed to convert on a semi-breakaway with 4:46 remaining in the third to seal the deal for the Sea Dogs and give the top-ranked major junior team in Canada a 6-3 home win.
These two teams will meet again on Saturday night at Harbour Station. The puck drops at 7:00pm as Saint John looks to set a new team record for wins in a season in front of their home fans. Tickets to this contest are available by calling the arena box office at 657-1234 or by logging onto www.tickets.harbourstation.ca.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from January 29, 2010
- Juniors fall in OT 3 to 2 - Montreal Juniors
- 12 straight win for Cats - Moncton Wildcats
- Sea Dogs double-up Foreurs - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Game Is On - Moncton Wildcats
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