SEA DOGS WIN A COMEBACK THRILLER

SN RECAP
FINAL: Sea Dogs 5, Foreurs 4

VAL-D’OR, Que – It was another ugly second period of hockey for the Saint John Sea Dogs. But unlike in past games this season, the Sea Dogs responded.

Saint John scored three goals in the third period to comeback and beat the Val-d’Or Foreurs 5-4 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Wednesday night at the Air Creebec Centre. This after the home team scored three goals of their own in the second frame.

Aidan Kelly, Zach Phillips, and Jonathan Huberdeau all scored singles – but the hero on this night was Ryan Tesink. The rookie setup Huberdeau’s goal in the third period to make it 4-3, then tied the game, and eventually won the match on an odd goal that he batted in with his stick.

The Sea Dogs played from behind for the most part of the game and were once again caught being inconsistent. But, at least on this night, the Sea Dogs were good enough when they had to be to pick up their fourth road victory of the season.

Jacob DeSerres played well in net for Saint John, making some key stops and some big saves in the third period.

Olivier Archambault, Gabriel Beaupre, Jean-Francois Leblanc, and Guillaume Naud all scored for the Foreurs. Jacob Chouinard played well in net while picking up the loss.

FIRST PERIOD
Olivier Archambault had the first good chance of the game when he fed Nicolas Marcoux down low but he whiffed on the shot. Saint John came right back with their own solid opportunity with Jonathan Huberdeau walking out in front but only getting a weak backhand shot off.

Val-d’Or made it 1-0 at 4:40 after a Saint John an odd bounce behind the net. Jean-Francois Leblanc sent a short pass across the crease to Archambault who had an open net to open the scoring.

After the Foreurs continued to mount some offensive pressure, Saint John began to fight back. Michael Kirkpatrick sent a pass to Stanislav Galiev who sprung loose on a partial break but couldn’t get a good shot off. Then a Stephen MacAulay shot rebound to Mike Thomas is front but was robbed by the pad of Jacob Chouinard.

After Kevin Gagne had a good shot stopped, Zach Phillips entered the zone and riffled a shot off the outside of the post.

At 12:08, a defensive turnover by the Foreurs in their own zone was capitalized on. Ryan Tesink found the puck at the circle and fed Aidan Kelly who was parked at the side of the cage. That tied the game at 1-1.

The Sea Dogs went to the power play at 16:58 to the dismay of the Foreurs faithful. On the man advantage, Phillips threaded a great pass to Steven Anthony but had his stick lifted just above the crease area.

Shots in the opening frame were 12-11 Val-d’Or.

SECOND PERIOD
On a delayed penalty at 0:51, Gabriel Beaupre let a point shot go that appeared to hit something on the way by. The puck went up and over DeSerres and found the corner to make it 2-1 Val-d’Or.

The Sea Dogs had some good scoring chances following the marker. Galiev centered to Anthony who had a wide open net but was absolutely robbed by Chouinard. Following a big Mike Thomas hit on Shawn Boutin, Nathan Beaulieu ripped a one timer but was stopped. The stretch ended with Kirkpatrick shooting wide on a partial break.

The Foreurs made it a two goal game at 8:23. A shot was deflected by Leblanc in front with DeSerres having no chance to stop the puck to make it 3-1.

Following the goal, Brett Hester destroyed Guillaume Cloutier in the corner, causing a big scrum in the corner. Cloutier was attended to and stayed on the teams bench while Hester was given a game misconduct and a four minute checking from behind penalty. Beaulieu was given a roughing penalty on the play.

On the power play, a cross ice pass was accepted by Phillips who had an open net. He made mo mistake and made it a 3-2 game. Despite some good pressure, that was the only goal the Dogs could get on the man advantage.

Jurco was left all alone in front but his one timer was blocked nicely by Beaupre, who already had a full cage on his helmet from an earlier injury in the game.

The Foreurs got their two goal lead back at 17:31 when Guillaume Naud sent a shot through traffic that beat DeSerres to make it 4-2 going into intermission.

Shots in the second stanza were 12-9 Saint John.

THIRD PERIOD
After a back-and-forth first few minutes, Touchette had the first chance in the period by trying to center the puck from the corner. His pass hit DeSerres however and stayed out.

With Gabriel Bourret in the box, Saint John had a couple of shorthanded opportunities. Danick Gauthier had the first, being stopped on a backhand shot in close. Then on a breakaway Kirkpatrick tried a deke to the backhand but was absolutely stoned by Chouinard in the Foreurs crease.

Just as Bourret stepped out of the box, Tesink dropped a pass to Huberdeau who kept the puck and waited until he centered himself in the offensive zone. Huberdeau then fired a wrist shot that beat Chouinard to make it a one goal game.

Then 40 seconds later, Huberdeau drove to the net and forced Chouinard to give up a big rebound. Tesink had the open cage and swept the puck in to tie the affair at 4-4.

Play opened up after the game was all square once again. A Val-d’Or three-on-one was stopped by DeSerres and then Jurco was sprung on a breakaway only to be stopped by Chouinard.

But with a just a couple of minutes to go in the game, a turnover behind the Val-d’Or net gave Tesink the puck at the side of the net. The Saint John native batted the puck on net and it snuck in just under the crossbar to give the Dogs a 5-4 lead. Play continued even though the light went on. It would eventually be reviewed and called a good goal.

The Foreurs pulled their net minder in the final minute but to no avail as the visitors went on to victory.

NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow.

NEXT GAME: Saint John plays this same Foreurs team on Friday night at 8:30 pm.