St-Laurent Backstops Sea Dogs To 4-3 Shootout Win Over Mooseheads
October 1, 2010 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
HALIFAX, NS --- The Saint John Sea Dogs improved to 5-1-0-1 in dramatic fashion on Friday night, capturing a hard-fought, come-from-behind 4-3 shootout win over the Halifax Mooseheads in front of 5.580 fans at the Metro Centre.
Halifax led their Maritime Division adversaries by a score of 3-2 after two periods of play, with Saint John netting the lone goal of the third to force overtime. After five minutes of extra time failed to produce a victor, Friday's match went to a shootout from which the Sea Dogs emerged victorious, outpacing their opponents 2-1 to take the decision by a 4-3 final.
Steven Anthony, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Stephen MacAulay scored for Saint John during regulation play on Friday, while Carl Gélinas (2) and Martin Frk replied for Halifax. Frk scored the Mooseheads' lone shootout goal, while Huberdeau and Tomas Jurco converted for the Sea Dogs in the post-OT breakaway challenge.
Between the pipes, overage net minder Karel St-Laurent (now 3-1 this season) stopped 32 of the 35 shots sent his way by Mooseheads skaters during regulation/overtime prior to going 2-for-3 in the shootout in backstopping his team to a character-building comeback victory. At the other end of the ice, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Mathieu Corbeil made 34 saves in a losing effort for Halifax, surrendering two goals during the decisive three-round shootout in falling to 1-3 on the year.
The home team struck first on Friday as a net-charging Carl Gélinas buried his own rebound during a Mooseheads power play to give Halifax a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute of play. Saint John's deficit was then doubled at the 7:01 mark of the first period when import winger Martin Frk one-timed a Brent Andrews pass to the back of the Sea Dogs' net from point-blank range to register the third goal of his freshman campaign.
Saint John cut their opponents' lead in half midway through the opening frame when St. Louis Blues prospect Stephen MacAulay jammed home a rebound produced by a Ryan Tesink wraparound attempt to pick up the first goal of his season in his 2010-11 debut. Veteran blue-liner Christian Morin picked up the secondary assist on MacAulay's even-strength marker.
Nineteen-year-old Haligonian Steven Anthony tied things up at two apiece early in period number two, striking in transition and hammering a loose puck past Corbeil from the slot to record his third goal in as many games played this year. Carl Gélinas then put the hosts back on top at the 7:10 mark of the middle frame, sneaking a nifty backhand shot past St-Laurent at the end of a two-on-one rush with teammate Alex Lemieux.
The Sea Dogs produced the equalizer 3:07 into the third period, with sophomore sensation Jonathan Huberdeau finishing off an odd-man rush in style by banging home his sixth goal of the year. Danick Gauthier and Ryan Tesink each drew helpers on the impressively-orchestrated scoring play.
Saint John's defensive special teams unit then came up with a pivotal penalty kill a few minutes later, keeping things all square on the scoreboard in the process. Stanislav Galiev then very nearly gave the visitors one-goal lead, striking iron on a bullet of a slap shot which came within centimetres of finding pay dirt.
Both teams produced multiple scoring chances late in the third period, but some stellar work by Corbeil and St-Laurent kept either offence from converting in sending Friday's highly-entertaining match to an extra stanza. Neither team was able to find the back of the net during an intense overtime session, necessitating a penalty shot competition in the spirited battle between talent-laden clubs.
In Rounds One and Two of the shootout, Tomas Jurco and Jonathan Huberdeau each succeeded on their breakaway attempts for Saint John while Martin Frk replied for Halifax. After Steven Anthony hit the post in the opening half of Round Three, Karel St-Laurent denied Darcy Ashley to put the finishing touches on a thrilling victory for the visitors.
Up next for the Sea Dogs is a Sunday afternoon road match versus the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. The puck drops at 4pm as the Port City's major junior squad looks to wrap up a five-game road trip on a winning note at Centre 200. Saint John's next home game will be staged on Friday, October 8 at 7:30pm versus the Moncton Wildcats. Tickets to this much-anticipated showdown between last year's President's Cup Finalists can be obtained by calling the Harbour Station Box Office at (506) 657-1234, or by visiting www.tickets.harbourstation.ca.
Game One of the 2010 Subway Super Series will be played at Harbour Station on Monday, November 8 at 7pm. Tickets to this nationally-televised contest pitting a delegation of QMJHL All-Stars against the Russian National Junior Team go on sale to the general public on Saturday at 10am.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from October 1, 2010
- MAINEiacs Rout Huskies, 8-0 - Lewiston MAINEiacs
- Juniors beat Sagueneens 3-1 - Montreal Juniors
- St-Laurent Backstops Sea Dogs To 4-3 Shootout Win Over Mooseheads - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Wildcats Announce Marc Champagne as New Goaltending Consultant - Moncton Wildcats
- Audy-Marchessault, Ouellet and Filippi named TELUS three stars of the month - QMJHL
- Take 5 with Lewy's Legion - Pierre-Olivier Morin - Lewiston MAINEiacs
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