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QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs

Sea Dogs Win Memorial Cup Over Mississauga

May 29, 2011 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - The Saint John Sea Dogs capped their incredible season by becoming the first team from Atlantic Canada to win the national major junior hockey championship since its inception in 1919.

The Sea Dogs topped the host Mississauga St. Michael's Majors 3-1 in the MasterCard Memorial Cup final Sunday, winning junior hockey's top prize in just their sixth year of existence.

Zack Phillips had a goal and an assist and Simon Despres and Jonathan Huberdeau also scored as Saint John won its 77th game including regular season, playoffs and the Memorial Cup. Jacob DeSerres made 34 saves for the win in his second straight Memorial Cup final, bouncing back from a heartbreaking loss with the Brandon Wheat Kings last year.

Huberdeau, who had three goals and six points in four games, was named the tournament's most valuable player and joined defenseman Nathan Beaulieu on the tournament all-star team.

Riley Brace had the Mississauga goal and JP Anderson made 22 saves in the loss.

The city will welcome the Sea Dogs back with a homecoming parade on Tuesday at noon to celebrate the remarkable 2010-11 season. Saint John won its first Rivalry Cup over the Moncton Wildcats and the Jean Rougeau Trophy as regular season champions in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with a league-record 58 wins. They capped it off with the team's first ever President's Cup as playoff champs, and a historic victory at the Memorial Cup.

The parade will start at King Square and travel down King Street to a rally at the Market Square boardwalk (rain location, Market Square Atrium) at approximately 12:20 p.m. Fans are encouraged to come out in blue and white Sea Dogs colours in support of these fine young men whose passion for hockey has brought another championship to the Port City.

The Dogs found themselves short-handed early after Ryan Tesink was somehow singled out for a penalty in a scrum in front of the Saint John net at 2:09. Early in the penalty kill, Mike Thomas absorbed a cross-check to the back of head to fight the puck out of the defensive zone, setting up a Despres wrist shot from the top of the left-wing circle that beat Anderson. The short-handed marker came at 2:24 and set off "Let's Go Sea Dogs" chants from the vocal minority of Sea Dogs fans at the Hershey Centre.

DeSerres kept the 1-0 lead intact with a great right pad save on a Chris DeSousa rebound attempt about five minutes into the first. Phillips laid down to block a shot later in the shift, and Tomas Jurco finally cleared the zone.

Mississauga was whistled for four straight penalties in the first, and Saint John took a 2-0 lead at 13:17 on a goal by Phillips just as one of the power plays expired. Michael Kirkpatrick and Jonathan Huberdeau created a turnover behind the net and started a quick passing play to set up Phillips out front. He got enough of it to squeeze a tap-in through Anderson and spark an even louder set of "Let's Go Sea Dogs" chants.

The Sea Dogs got into penalty trouble of their own with three straight infractions in the second. Although they kept the Mississauga power play off the scoresheet, the Majors seemed to seize momentum, outshooting the Dogs 15-6 and breaking through on Brace's marker at 14:41. Brace finished a three-way passing play with Justin Shugg and Casey Cizikas with a shot from the left wing that beat DeSerres to cut the lead in half.

The Majors had a few close calls in the third, including a wraparound attempt by Devante Smith-Pelly in the 12th minute that slid through the crease. Mississauga put together a great shift with about five minutes left in the third. But DeSerres shut the door on a Shugg deke down low, then kicked out the right pad to rob Rob Flick on a one-timer.

Shortly thereafter, the Sea Dogs cleared the zone and took advantage of the Mississauga pressure to create a 2-on-1 for Phillips and Huberdeau. Phillips held on the right wing before sliding a pass across to Huberdeau, who deked to his backhand and beat Anderson at 16:17. Stephen MacAulay picked up the other assist on the goal, Huberdeau's third of the tournament.

This time "Go Dogs Go" was the chant from the Saint John fans. Mississauga called a timeout and pulled its goalie in a late attempt, but couldn't beat DeSerres. Even when he was down and out, the overage goalie, who was shelled for nine goals in last year's final with the Brandon Wheat Kings, managed to stick his right pad out to deny Smith-Pelly on a point-blank rebound try.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from May 29, 2011


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