QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs

Sea Dogs Down Olympiques 7-5

Published on February 24, 2010 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


GATINEAU, QC --- The league-leading Saint John Sea Dogs wrapped up a three-game sweep of their season series with the Gatineau Olympiques on Wednesday night, defeating the western Quebec-based team by a score of 7-5 at the Robert Guertin Arena.

Fredericton, NB native Zack Phillips tied Simon Després' team record for points by a rookie in a single game during the high-scoring affair, registering 2G-3A-5P on the evening en route to being named the contest's #1 star. Mike Hoffman, Jonathan Huberdeau, Nathan Beaulieu, Mike Thomas and Tomas Jurco also found the back of the net for the Sea Dogs in their mid-week tilt with the Olympiques, while overage net minder Marco Cousineau turned aside 23 of the 28 shots sent his way by Gatineau skaters in laying claim to his 22nd victory of the season.

The home team's offensive production, meanwhile, came courtesy of Alex Beaton, Tye McGinn, Hugo Laporte, Alex Noel, and Christian Ouellet, with third-year goaltender Maxime Clermont (17 saves) suffering his 55th career defeat after allowing six goals in forty minutes of action.

Saint John dominated their opponents in the opening moments of play, registering the first five shots on goal as Clermont was forced to endure an early barrage of sustained offensive pressure. Rookie winger Zack Phillips had the visitors' best scoring chance during an early-match power play, very nearly converting on a close-range backhand shot at the end of a lengthy scramble in Gatineau territory. Clermont managed to stymie the New Brunswicker with a sliding pad save.

The Olympiques' best scoring chance of the first period came courtesy of Ontario-born forward Tye McGinn; the second-year winger corralled the puck along the boards in the visitors' zone and swiftly maneuvered his way into the slot only to have his wrist shot stopped by the lightning-fast blocker of Marco Cousineau. The Anaheim Ducks prospect came up big again a few minutes later, blocking a hard one-timer from Christian Ouellet to keep things all square on the scoreboard.

A blistering wrist shot off the stick of Zack Phillips broke the scoreless tie in the 18th minute of play, as the burgeoning sniper wired his 12th goal of the year to the back of Gatineau's net after being afforded a generous shooting lane by Olympiques defenders. Jonathan Huberdeau doubled the Sea Dogs' lead 4:00 into the second period, jamming home the 14th goal of his rookie season after Nathean Beaulieu deftly faked a cross-ice pass from the point and fired a hard shot on goal that Clermont surrendered a generous rebound upon. The hosts responded almost immediately however, as a net-charging Tye McGinn beat Cousineau on the game's next shift to end the Sea Dogs' amazing 3:10:24 shutout streak in head-to-head games with the Olympiques.

Saint John's two-goal advantage was restored at the behest of a sensational play by Michael Kirkpatrick in the 29th minute of play. Carrying the puck on his backhand along the boards in Gatineau territory, the veteran centre made a crisp, no-look-behind-the-back pass through traffic which hit a streaking Zack Phillips in stride. The freshman forward then made a nifty deke on Clermont prior to sliding his second of the night across the Olympiques' goal line. Clermont was beaten again 22 seconds later, with import winger Tomas Jurco netting his 21st goal of the season on a well-placed shot.

A pinching Nathan Beaulieu knocked home a loose puck shot at the 13:35 mark of the middle frame, improving his 2009-10 goals total to nine in the process. Ottawa Senators prospect Mike Hoffman then got in on the action, ripping a wrist shot over Clermont's right shoulder to send Wednesday's contest into the second intermission with the Sea Dogs in possession of a commanding 6-1 lead.

Rookie Dereck Tait took over goaltending duties for Gatineau at the start of the third period, an apt coaching maneuver which appeared to provide a much-needed boost for the Telus West Division's third-place squad. The Olympiques tallied three unanswered goals during the opening dozen minutes of regulation's final frame to reduce their deficit to only two.

Team Captain Mike Thomas then took it upon himself to quash any hopes of a Gatineau comeback, tallying his ninth marker of the 09-10 campaign at the 15:37 mark of the third period. The Olympiques managed to once again pull to within two of their opponents on a late-match goal by Alex Beaton, but that would be as close as Gatineau would get as Saint John held on to take the decision by a 7-5 final.

Up next for the Sea Dogs is a Friday night contest versus the Val-d'Or Foreurs at the Air Creebec Centre (puck drop - 8:30pm AST). Saint John's next home game is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 3 at 7pm versus the P.E.I. Rocket. Special $5 upper bowl seats are available for this match, which is being sponsored by Irwin Tools. Tickets to all upcoming Sea Dogs home games are available by calling the Harbour Station Box Office at (506) 657-1234, or by visiting www.harbourstation.ca.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2010


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