Sea Dogs Down Rocket 2-1 In Overtime To Take 3-1 Series Lead
Published on March 24, 2010 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI --- The Saint John Sea Dogs moved to within a single win of earning a berth in the QMJHL quarter-finals on Wednesday night, recording a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory at the Charlottetown Civic Centre to take a commanding lead in their opening round playoff series with the P.E.I. Rocket. Saint John now leads this best-of-seven showdown 3-1, with Game 5 set to be staged at Harbour Station on Friday night at 7:30pm.
After trailing 1-0 through most of the contest, the Sea Dogs tied things up at one apiece late in regulation on a goal from overage winger Nick Petersen. Rookie sniper Tomas Jurco then delivered his team to victory early in sudden death overtime, netting his third goal of the playoffs to complete the dramatic comeback.
Veteran goaltender Marco Cousineau was once again stellar between the pipes for Saint John on Wednesday, turning aside 22 of the 23 shots sent his way by Rocket skaters to pick up his 17th career playoff win. J-P Mathieu, meanwhile, scored the lone goal of the evening for the home team, with Evan Mosher suffering the loss in net for P.E.I. despite turning in a sensational 28-save performance.
The Rocket struck first in Game 4, as pinching blue-liner J-P Mathieu one-timed a picture-perfect cross-ice feed from Jonathan Bonneau to the back of Saint John's net twelve minutes into the first period. Jarrad Struthers also picked up an assist on Mathieu's man-up marker, which proved to be the lone goal of a highly-combative opening frame.
Saint John successfully killed off seven minutes worth of penalties in the opening half of period number two, appropriating a significant amount of momentum in doing so. The Sea Dogs subsequently produced several strong offensive chances late in the middle frame, but Evan Mosher was able to prevent the puck from breaching his goal line in keeping the Rocket's precarious 1-0 lead in tact as Wednesday's matchup reached the forty minute mark.
The visitors vehemently pursued the tying goal throughout regulation's final frame, more than tripling their opponents' shot total during the stanza. Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Nick Petersen finally got his team on the scoreboard at the 17:41 mark of the third period, banging a loose puck past a sprawling Mosher on his backhand to pick up the second goal of his post-season and send the intense mid-week playoff tilt between divisional adversaries into overtime.
Import winger Tomas Jurco netted the biggest goal of his young career 3:55 into the extra frame, burying a Mike Hoffman pass from point-blank range to both complete the Sea Dogs' thrilling come-from-behind victory and put the Rocket's President's Cup aspirations on life support.
Tickets to Friday's Game 5 can be obtained by calling the Harbour Station Box Office at (506) 657-1234 or by visiting www.tickets.harbourstation.ca.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from March 24, 2010
- Juniors win on the road to take a 3-1 series lead - Montreal Juniors
- Eagles get 4-1 victory in game four - Cape Breton Eagles
- Sea Dogs Down Rocket 2-1 In Overtime To Take 3-1 Series Lead - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Wildcats Appeal Decision - QMJHL
- Four Teams Establish New Attendance Records - QMJHL
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