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QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs

Sea Dogs Use Power Play to Ground Screaming Eagles

September 18, 2015 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


SYDNEY, NS - The Saint John Sea Dogs scored three power play goals and Marc-Antoine Turcotte made 36 saves in a 3-2 victory over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in their home opener Friday at Centre 200.

Daniel Del Paggio, Jason Bell and Matthew Highmore each had a goal and an assist for Saint John (2-1) while Joe Veleno added two assists.

Pierre-Luc Dubois and Alexandre Gosselin responded for Cape Breton (1-2).

The Screaming Eagles took four of the five minor penalties called in the opening frame, but managed to generate a good scoring chance while playing one skater short.

Just two minutes into the game, a shorthanded 2-on-1 turned into a breakaway for Maxim Lazarev. The talented Cape Breton sniper, making his season debut after attending the Chicago Blackhawks' rookie camp, attempted a deke to his forehand and then snapped a shot that Turcotte tipped away with his glove hand.

Saint John broke the ice on their second man advantage nearly five minutes into the period. Veleno fed a short pass to Del Paggio, parked off the right side of the crease. The Thunder Bay, Ontario, native whipped a quick wrist shot that beat Screaming Eagles goaltender Alexandre Belanger on the short side.

Bell doubled Saint John's lead on another power play with fewer than eight minutes remaining in the first.

The ex-Screaming Eagle blueliner, fresh off his participation in the Calgary Flames' rookie camp, rifled a low slap shot from the right point that beat Belanger on his stick side.

Cape Breton cut its deficit in half just three minutes later.

A shot from Jordan Ty Fournier near the right point was knocked down in the middle of the slot. Dubois grabbed the loose puck and snapped a shot past the blocker of a surprised Turcotte to make it a 2-1 game.

The Screaming Eagles created early offence in the second period as well.

Fournier raced in from the left wing on a partial breakaway, but Turcotte denied his deke attempt with his left leg.

The Sea Dogs went back to the power play to restore a two-goal lead.

Bell moved across the blueline from the right side into the middle, and then found Highmore parked off the right wing side of the crease. The fourth-year Sea Dog ripped a wrist shot inside the right post for the eventual game-winner.

A short time later, the Sea Dogs killed off an Eagles' 5-on-3 power play for 65 seconds.

Cape Breton got back within one again midway through the third period while the teams skated 4-on-4. Gosselin stole the puck behind the Saint John net and jammed it inside the right post on Turcotte.

The Screaming Eagles pressed throughout the third period, but were unable to tie the game.

Turcotte's best save came in the final ten seconds of regulation time, when he deflected an initial shot by Dubois off the glass behind the net. The puck came back out to the goalie's right side. Dubois sent a quick shot toward the right post, but Turcotte got his leg down to make the save.

Belanger made 20 saves in the loss.

Gosselin's goal made him first star while Dubois' marker earned him a second star selection. Highmore's two points merited third-star honours in front of 3,837 fans in attendance.

Saint John's next game is Saturday, September 19th, at 7 p.m. against the Halifax Mooseheads at Scotiabank Centre. Listen LIVE on 96.1 NewSong FM or newsongfm.ca. Watch LIVE online on theqmjhl.ca.

The Sea Dogs' next home game is Friday, October 2nd, at 7:30 p.m. against the Gatineau Olympiques at Harbour Station. Tickets are available at the Harbour Station Box Office, online at harbourstation.ca or by calling 657-1234.

Season tickets are on sale now at the Harbour Station Box Office. Season ticket holders can save up to $171 compared with single-game box office prices.

Check out the Saint John Sea Dogs Statistics



Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from September 18, 2015


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