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QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs

Tesink Leads Sea Dogs To 6-4 Win Over Rocket In Season-opener

September 10, 2010 - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release


SAINT JOHN, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs kicked off their 2010-11 season in style on Friday night, emerging victorious from a highly-entertaining match versus their Maritime Division rivals Prince Edward Island in front of 4,522 fans at Harbour Station. Local minor hockey product Ryan Tesink led the way by tallying 2G-1A-3P in picking up First Star of the Game honours and making his QMJHL debut a memorable affair.

Tomas Jurco (2), Jonathan Huberdeau, and Kevin Gagné also scored for the Sea Dogs in the dramatic 6-4 win, while star centre Michael Kirkpatrick dished out three assists on the evening. Meanwhile, between the pipes, overage goaltender Karel St-Laurent made 23 saves on 27 shots faced to improve to 3-0 in home openers in his career.

At the other end of the ice Evan Mosher stopped 28 Saint John shots in a losing effort for the Rocket, while Ben Duffy, Travis McIsaac, Jordan Escott, and Josh Currie each produced goals for the visitors.

Veteran defenseman Kevin Gagné got Saint John on the scoreboard 5:45 into the match, beating Mosher on a close-range wrist shot after being set up nicely compliments of a nifty backhand pass from playmaker extraordinaire Michael Kirkpatrick. P.E.I. tied things up at one apiece nine minutes later when Travis McIsaac shoveled a loose puck to the back of the home team's net to bring an abrupt end to a lengthy scramble in Sea Dogs territory.

The Rocket then pulled ahead in the 17th minute of play when Jordan Escott banged home a rebound produced by a Jean-Laurence Beauchemin shot to pick up his first marker of the season. Saint John native Ryan Tesink then brought to the crowd to their feet a moment later, netting the first goal of his young career at the end of an impressive down-ice rush by the hosts. The 17-year-old forward celebrated the occasion by making an Ovechkin-like leap onto the Harbour Station glass.

A well-placed snap shot off the stick of Ben Duffy gave P.E.I. a 3-2 lead at the 19:35 mark of the opening frame, but import winger Tomas Jurco responded almost immediately for the hosts, wiring home the 27th goal of his career on the very next shift to send Friday's contest into intermission number one with the score deadlocked at three apiece.

Saint John pulled ahead late in what proved to be a penalty-filled second period when second-year sniper Jonathan Huberdeau buried his own rebound from point-blank range to make the first goal of his sophomore campaign of the go-ahead variety. Ryan Tesink and Michael Kirkpatrick both picked up assists on the play after effectively engineering some highly-impressive puck movement in enemy territory.

The Rocket produced the equalizer 12:08 into the third period, with a streaking Josh Currie one-timing a cross-ice feed from Victor Provencher past St-Laurent to briefly tie the match up at four apiece. Tomas Jurco once again responded with tremendous rapidity for the home team, ripping a high wrist shot past Mosher's glove hand whilst on a semi-breakaway just 64 seconds later to reclaim the lead for Saint John.

Ryan Tesink sealed the victory for the Sea Dogs with an empty-net tally in the final minute of regulation, picking up his second goal of the night and capping off an unforgettable evening for the rookie winger.

Up next for the Port City's major junior squad is a Saturday night showdown with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles at Harbour Station. The puck drops at 7pm as Saint John looks to improve to 2-0 on the year and earn another intradivisional victory. Tickets to this contest can be obtained by calling the arena box office at (506) 657-1234, or by visiting www.tickets.harbourstation.ca.

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from September 10, 2010


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