Sea Dogs Wrap up Regular Season in Record-Setting Style
March 20, 2011 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
SAINT JOHN, N.B. - The Saint John Sea Dogs finished off their record-setting Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season with a 7-2 win over the Prince Edward Island Rocket Sunday.
The win was Saint John's 58th in 68 games, tying the standard set by the Sorel Eperviers in 70 games in 1973-74 and matched by the Trois-Rivieres Draveurs in 72 games in 1978-79. The Dogs also became the first team in QMJHL history to go undefeated at home in regulation time, finishing with a 32-0-1-1 mark.
Michael Kirkpatrick had two goals and an assist and was named first star in his final regular-season game as a Sea Dog. The overage forward finishes with career totals of 108 goals, 143 assists and 251 points, all Sea Dogs bests.
Simon Despres was named second star in what was also likely his last regular-season game in the Port City. The 19-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins prospect had a goal and three assists, extending his career Sea Dogs mark for defensemen to 134 points, including 109 assists, also a club best.
Jonathan Huberdeau, meanwhile, had a goal and two assists, finishing with new single-season club records for points (105) and assists (62).
Ryan Tesink got the nod as third star with a pair of goals, and Stanislav Galiev had a goal and an assist. Mathieu Corbeil earned the win with 27 saves as Saint John finished with a record of 58-7-1-2.
A sellout crowd of 6,488 took in the game on Fan Appreciation Day at Harbour Station, which featured several sponsor giveaways and a 50/50 pot of $16,091. Captain and five-year veteran Mike Thomas, who sat out with an injury, thanked the fans after the game for all their support.
Samuel Morneau had a goal and an assist for P.E.I., Adam Polasek added a single, and Evan Mosher made 37 saves in the loss as the Rocket fell to 33-26-3-6.
The Rocket had a couple of great chances in the early going but the Sea Dogs were able to keep them off the score sheet. Just over a minute in, Ben Duffy and Travis McIsaac came in on a 2-on-1, but Despres sprawled to the ice to take away Duffy's passing lane and force the winger wide. P.E.I. was awarded a power play shortly thereafter and Corbeil came up with a big save on Morneau in close.
Kirkpatrick opened the scoring on a Saint John power play at 7:45. Kirkpatrick took a feed from Huberdeau along the left-wing boards, walked in and snapped his 30th of the year high to Mosher's glove side from the high slot.
Galiev made it 2-0 at 14:14 of the first, finishing some great teamwork with an outstanding individual effort. A hardworking shift by the line of Stephen MacAulay, Danick Gauthier and Tesink set up an offensive zone faceoff. Off the draw, Huberdeau forced a turnover behind the net, Kevin Gagne kept the puck in at the right point and fired it into the left wing corner for Galiev. The red-hot Russian walked out and slid a low shot across Mosher's body and into the net for his 37th of the season.
Polasek cut the lead in half on a power play at 1:06 of the second, with assists from Andrej Nestrasil and Morneau.
The power play was a factor again as Huberdeau restored the two-goal lead at 5:16 of the middle frame. Zack Phillips and Kirkpatrick picked up assists on the goal, Huberdeau's 43rd of the year.
Morneau drew the Rocket back within one, opportunistically pouncing on a rebound off Alex Noel's knuckling shot from the right wing at 10:51 of the second.
But Tesink scored a pair of goals late in the frame to make it 5-2 and end a 37-game goal-scoring drought in style. The rookie forward from Saint John banged one home from the slot at 18:34 for his first goal since Nov. 21. Despite not scoring himself, the hard-working Tesink had remained productive, racking up 17 assists during the goalless stretch, including three in Friday's 8-1 win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. His next marker took him just 37 seconds, as he finished a wrap-around pass from Gauthier for his eighth of the year. Despres assisted on both markers.
Kirkpatrick added a final tally to his career stats on a power play at 16:10 of the third, with assists from Galiev and Despres. Despres then rounded out the scoring 21 seconds later, with helpers going to Alexandre Beauregard and Steven Anthony.
Tickets to Saint John's first two President's Cup playoff games against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles - Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m. - are on sale. Commissioner Gilles Courteau will be on hand Friday to present the Sea Dogs with the Jean Rougeau Trophy as regular season champions, as well as the Robert LeBel Trophy for best goals-against average and the Luc Robitaille Trophy for most goals scored.
Tickets can be obtained by calling the Harbour Station box office at (506) 657-1234, or by visiting www.tickets.harbourstation.ca.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from March 20, 2011
- Gatineau Overcomes Juniors - Montreal Juniors
- MAINEiacs End Regular Season with Win in Chicoutimi - Lewiston MAINEiacs
- Sea Dogs Wrap up Regular Season in Record-Setting Style - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Road Report from Chicoutimi - Lewiston MAINEiacs
- Drummondville's Mathieu Guertin Suspended - QMJHL
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