Sea dogs take down Rocket 4-3
Published on March 4, 2009 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
SAINT JOHN, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs clinched third place in the QMJHL Atlantic on Wednesday night, defeating the fourth-ranked P.E.I. Rocket by a score of 4-3 in front of 4,303 fans at Harbour Station.
Saint John is now 6-1 versus P.E.I. this season, a record which includes a perfect 4-0 mark on home ice. The Rocket are now mathematically unable to catch the Sea Dogs in the standings, as they trail the Port City's major junior squad by nine points with only four games remaining on their regular season schedule.
Danick Gauthier, Shea Kewin, Michael Kirkpatrick, and Nicolas Pard all scored for the home team on Wednesday, while Alexandre Leduc dished out three assists in laying claim to First Star of the Game honours.
New York Rangers prospect Chris Doyle, meanwhile, scored twice for the visitors in a losing effort, with Jason Legault chipping in with a single marker.
Rookie goaltender Karel St-Laurent picked up the seventh win of his freshman campaign for Saint John, turning aside 29 of the 32 shots sent his way by P.E.I. skaters.
At the other end of the ice, Evan Mosher (43 saves) suffered his tenth defeat of the year despite turning in a strong performance between the pipes for the Rocket throughout what proved to be a highly-competitive contest.
The Sea Dogs struck first on Wednesday, as Danick Gauthier knocked in his own rebound after taking a feed from Alexandre Leduc in the slot in the third minute of play to register his third career goal.
Saint John continued to apply heavy offensive pressure upon P.E.I., registering 17 of the game's first 20 shots on goal as the puck remained in the visitors' zone for the majority of the first period. Some exceptional work by Mosher in net for the Rocket was all that prevented the hosts from further adding to their lead during a dramatically one-sided stanza.
Karel St-Laurent came up with his biggest save of the night early in period number two, stoning star forward Chris Doyle on a breakaway to keep his team's one-goal advantage firmly in tact.
A booming slap shot off the stick of Shea Kewin then put the Sea Dogs up 2-0. The overage winger picked up his tenth goal in a Sea Dogs jersey, one-timing a Simon Després pass shortly after entering the visitors' zone on an odd-man rush.
Chris Doyle managed to cut Saint John's lead in half at the 16:15 mark of the middle frame, beating St-Laurent on a low snap shot to register the 27th goal of his season.
Evan Mosher made a spectacular save in the opening minute of the third period, denying Olivier Ouellet from point-blank range after surrendering a generous rebound off of a Steven Anthony shot.
Saint John then restored their two-goal lead on a power play marker by Michael Kirkpatrick 6:40 into regulation's final frame. The sophomore centre roofed a shot over Mosher at the tail end of a lengthy scramble in the Rocket's zone to improve his 2008-09 goals total to 33.
After Jason Legeault scored to reduce P.E.I.'s deficit to one, rookie winger Nicolas Pard banged home his seventh goal after receiving a highlight-reel, behind-the-back pass from Danick Gauthier at the side of the Rocket net with 7:51 remaining in the third.
A late goal by Chris Doyle made things interesting, but the Rocket were ultimately unable to tally the equalizer in the closing minute of regulation as the home team hung on for a hard-fought 4-3 victory.
The Sea Dogs will next face the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles at Sydney's Centre 200 on Friday night prior to returning to south western New Brunswick for their final home game of the regular season, scheduled to take place on Sunday at 4pm. Saint John will host Halifax in a match designated âFan Appreciation Day', with several exciting promotions in store for what promises to be a fun-filled afternoon at Harbour Station. Tickets to this game are available by calling the arena box office at (506) 657-1234.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from March 4, 2009
- Sea dogs take down Rocket 4-3 - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Hockey Ministries' Fundraising Goal Achieved - Moncton Wildcats
- Three QMJHL teams atop CHL Mosaik MasterCard Top 10 Rankings - QMJHL
- P.E.I. Rocket's Casavant named Boston Pizza CHL Player of the Week - QMJHL
- QMJHL launches pilot project aimed at players help program - QMJHL
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