Sea Dogs Score Thrilling 4-3 Comeback Win Over Wildcats
Published on November 7, 2007 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
MONCTON, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs improved to 2-0 versus the Moncton Wildcats on Wednesday night, earning an incredible come-from-behind win in the sudden death phase of an overtime shootout to pick up two huge points at the expense of their divisional rivals.
The Wildcats built a solid 3-0 lead over the course of the opening forty minutes of play on Wednesday, but the Sea Dogs stormed back valiantly in the third period, scoring three unanswered goals while out-shooting their provincial foes 19-5 to send the game to overtime.
In the extra period, neither team was able to muster a goal, meaning that a shootout would be required to determine a victor. A tally by 20-year old winger Scott Howes in the fifth round of the breakaway contest would prove to be shootout's lone marker, giving the visiting squad from Port City an incredibly dramatic victory and handing the home team a devastating loss.
"This team showed we have a lot of heart tonight," said Howes following the electrifying comeback win. "We didn't play our best hockey early on, but we really played well in the third and came out with the win. We never felt like we were out of it, and we're definitely happy to be getting two points on the road against a very good team like the Wildcats."
Moncton struck first on Wednesday, with Zach Sill scoring his sixth goal of the season 1:57 into the first period. Saint John had an excellent opportunity to produce the equalizer soon thereafter however, going on a 5-on-3 power play 0:46 later. Despite their best efforts, the Sea Dogs' offensive special teams unit was unable to get the puck past starting Wildcats goalie Charles Lavigne, who was solid between the pipes for Moncton early on.
Ryan Sparling nearly scored Saint John's first goal of the night midway through the first, getting off a good low shot on a one-timer from close range that Lavigne managed to somehow block with his right pad.
The Wildcats then doubled their lead at the 12:37 mark of the opening frame when Matthew Brenton beat Sea Dogs goaltender Travis Fullerton with a well-placed shot to earn his first goal of the year.
Despite going on to out-shoot Moncton 11-9 in the first period, the Sea Dogs still trailed by two on the scoreboard twenty minutes into Wednesday's match.
Midway though the second period, Moncton was awarded a two-man advantage when Mike Thomas and Yann Sauve incurred minor penalties 1:19 apart. The always-impressive Sea Dogs penalty killing unit (6-for-6 on the night) kept the Wildcats at bay however, making use of an effective man-down defensive system to prevent any further additions from being made to Moncton's goal total.
An even strength goal by Matt Eagles at the 13:38 mark of the middle frame then put the Wildcats up 3-0; the 19-year old centre managed to get his own rebound after darting in front of Saint John's net, roofing his second shot to earn his 11th tally of the year.
Very late in the second, Fullerton made a spectacular pad save on a Zach Sill backhand attempt, keeping the Sea Dogs within reasonable striking distance of the hosts as the game reached its forty minute mark.
Fullerton's stop on Sill's breakaway attempt proved to be abundantly important, as the Sea Dogs would go on to mount an incredible rally in regulation's final frame.
At the 4:21 mark of the third period, Saint John finally got on the scoreboard when Chris DiDomenco notched his 15th goal of the year, deflecting an Alexandre Picard-Hooper pass to the back of the Moncton net to pull the visitors to within two of the home team's lead.
Five minutes later, Michael Kirkpatrick then made the score 3-2 on his third goal of the season. The tsunami-level tidal wave of momentum for Saint John continued throughout the third, with a rebound goal off the stick of Keven Charland tying things up at three apiece with 4:32 remaining in regulation.
Another huge save by Fullerton off of an Adam Bezak shot with just over three minutes remaining in regulation kept things all square and effectively sent the match into overtime.
Saint John's net minder continued to play well in the abbreviated fourth period, turning aside all four shots he faced to force the staging of a deciding shootout.
The first three rounds of the breakaway contest failed to produce a goal, sending the affair to sudden death; Scott Howes then beat Lavigne to the blocker side in the fifth round of the shootout, and a save by Fullerton on Marc-Andre Labelle's subsequent scoring attempt secured the victory for Saint John, who are now 12-5-0-2 on the season,
The Sea Dogs return to Harbour Station on Thursday to face the Halifax Mooseheads in a 7:00pm contest. Tickets are available online or by calling the Harbour Station box office at 657-1234.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 7, 2007
- Sea Dogs Score Thrilling 4-3 Comeback Win Over Wildcats - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Sea Dogs Score Thrilling 4-3 Comeback Win Over Wildcats - Saint John Sea Dogs
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