Wildcats Clip Sea Dogs in Shootout
Published on November 20, 2016 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
MONCTON - Kelly Klima tied the game in the second period and scored the only goal in the shootout as the Moncton Wildcats edged the Saint John Sea Dogs, 3-2, Sunday at Moncton Coliseum.
Jeremy McKenna had the other goal for Moncton (9-14-0-0).
Jakub Zboril responded with a goal and an assist for Saint John (14-6-2-1) while Matthew Highmore also found the net.
A scoring summary is available HERE [http://theqmjhl.ca/gamecentre/25185/boxscore].
The Wildcats got the only goal of the first period on a penalty shot with under two minutes remaining.
McKenna stole the puck in the neutral and charged in alone, but was hooked by Luke Green, creating the penalty shot opportunity.
The rookie forward brought the puck in slowly before beating Alex D'Orio with a shot between the goalie's legs.
The Sea Dogs squared the affair on the power play three minutes into the second. The goal came moments after Moncton starting goalie Matthew Waite left the game due to injury.
Mathieu Joseph took a pass in the right circle, and then found Highmore with a perfect backdoor feed for a tap-in past new Moncton netminder Julian Galloway.
Zboril gave the Sea Dogs the lead 93 seconds later.
The Boston Bruins first-rounder brought the puck into the Wildcats' zone on the left wing and dropped it off for Samuel Leblanc. Leblanc saw Zboril heading to the net from the left side and laid a pass on his stick. The Czech blueliner cut around Galloway and slid the puck inside the left post to make it a 2-1 game.
Moncton evened the score again with under nine minutes to go in the period when Klima finished off a 2-on-1 with a shot from the right side of the slot that got past D'Orio's blocker side.
Highmore thought he had restored the Saint John advantage with four minutes left in the period when he slashed the rebound of a Thomas Chabot wrister past Galloway, but instant replay officials ruled the Sea Dogs were offside when they entered the offensive zone and the goal was waved off.
There were no goals scored in the third period. The teams also traded chances in overtime without ending the game.
The only goal of the shootout came in the third round.
Klima brought the puck into the Saint John zone slightly to the left wing side and ripped a low wrist shot that got under D'Orio's blocker to end the game.
Galloway made 12 saves in nearly 43 minutes of relief and stopped all three shootout chances to earn the victory. Waite stopped all 14 shots he faced before leaving due to injury.
D'Orio suffered his first loss of the season with 23 stops and two of three in the shootout.
Zboril's two points made him first star in a losing cause while Manuel Wiederer was named second star with one assist. Klima took third star in front of 4,472 fans in attendance.
The Sea Dogs' next game is Wednesday, November 23rd, at 7 p.m. against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles at Harbour Station. It's "Support our Troops" Night. Tickets are available at the Harbour Station Box Office, or fans can save money and buy online [https://www.tickets.harbourstation.ca/Online/default.asp].
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from November 20, 2016
- Wildcats Clip Sea Dogs in Shootout - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Wildcats Win 3-2 in Thrilling Shootout Victory over the Sea Dogs - Moncton Wildcats
- Sea Dogs Recall D Smallwood - Saint John Sea Dogs
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