Sea Dogs top Titan in OT
Published on February 13, 2009 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
SAINT JOHN, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs captured their first win of February in dramatic fashion on Friday night, vanquishing the Acadie-Bathurst Titan by a score of 4-3 in an incredibly-entertaining contest at Harbour Station.
After sixty minutes of intense, back-and-forth major junior action produced a 3-3 deadlock, veteran Sea Dogs winger and New Maryland, NB native Mike Thomas delivered his team to victory in netting a skate-off, game-winning goal 1:16 into overtime.
Shea Kewin, Nicholas Pard, and Steven Anthony (First Star of the Game) also scored for Saint John in the thrilling home win, while star centre Michael Kirkpatrick (Second Star) dished out a team-high three assists on the evening.
Eric Faille, Julien Tremblay, and Artem Demkov, meanwhile, provided the quantitative offence for the Titan in a hard-fought road loss.
In a relief appearance, Swiss goaltender Robert Mayer picked up his 22nd win of 2008-09 after making 18 saves in 21:16 of action. At the other end of the ice, Nicolas Champion turned in an admirable performance between the pipes for Acadie-Bathurst. The Newfoundland native stopped 42 of the 46 shots sent his way on Friday, earning Third Star of the Game honours for his efforts.
After a fast-paced opening seven-and-a-half minutes of play failed to produce a goal on Friday, hard-working winger Josh Schram very nearly gave the Sea Dogs an early 1-0 lead on a breakaway. Champion came up with a big shoulder save on the 18-year old forward's shot however, as the scoreless tie remained firmly in tact until late in the first period.
Acadie-Bathurst finally broke the 0-0 deadlock with exactly one second remaining in the opening frame. In transition, Eric Faille beat starting Saint John goalie Karel St-Laurent on a low snap shot to make the 17th goal of his season of the short-handed variety.
The Sea Dogs tied things up at one apiece early in the second period. After a Michael Kirkpatrick blast sailed wide of the visitors' net, overage winger Shea Kewin corralled the puck and fired a shot from a sharp angle that managed to breach the Titan goal line, improving the Upper Canadian's seasonal goals total to nine in the process.
A goal by Nicolas Pard then gave the hosts their first lead of the night midway through the second period. The rookie forward ended a lengthy scramble in Acadie-Bathurst territory by banging home a rebound produced by a Steven Anthony shot to register the third marker of his young career.
After Julien Tremblay re-tied things up on his first career QMJHL goal, a highly-impressive passing play netted the visiting squad from northern New Brunswick their first lead of the central stanza. Artem Demkov finished off the play on a bullet of a close-range one-timer after Spencer Jezegou and Taylor Lambke worked an odd-man rush to perfection though the hosts' zone.
With 2.2 seconds remaining in the middle frame, Steven Anthony fired home his 17th goal of the season, pouncing on a loose puck immediately after Champion had stymied Michael Kirkpatrick on successive point-blank shots.
Anthony very nearly gave Saint John a 4-3 advantage early in period number three, but the 17-year old Haligonian's crisp shot struck iron after beating Champion cleanly as the score remained tied at threes as Friday's match officially entered the late-going.
The Sea Dogs' stellar defensive special teams unit came up with a huge penalty kill in the final two minutes of the third period, sending Friday's exciting intra-provincial showdown into overtime.
One minute into the extra frame, replacement Saint John goaltender Robert Mayer came up with the biggest stop of the game, robbing Maxime Renaud with a sensational glove save after the offence-minded defender was sprung in all alone on a dynamic backhand feed off the stick of Eric Faille.
On the ensuing face-off, Simon Després gained control of the puck and fired a strong outlet pass to Mike Thomas. The rugged winger proceeded to carry the vulcanized rubber disc the length of the ice along the boards prior to unleashing an absolute howitzer of a slap shot from fifteen feet out that rocketed over Champion's left shoulder and produced an instant triumph for the home team.
Up next for the Sea Dogs (now 28-is a Thursday night tilt with the Moooseheads at the Halifax Metro Centre. The puck drops at 7pm as Saint John looks to pick up two points at the expense of their divisional rivals in Nova Scotia's capital city.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from February 13, 2009
- Juniors fall 2-0 to Quebec - Montreal Juniors
- Sea Dogs top Titan in OT - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Bergeron Suspended Five Games - QMJHL
- Sea Dogs Announce Rosters for 2009 Irving Oil Skills Competition - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Students more than triple projected goal - Moncton Wildcats
- Mooseheads to honour Nova Scotia Voyageurs - Halifax Mooseheads
- Update on Angelo Esposito Status - Montreal Juniors
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