SEA DOGS DOWN TITAN IN SHOOTOUT

SN RECAP
FINAL(SO): Titan 3, Sea Dogs 4

SAINT JOHN – It wasn’t the prettiest victory for the Saint John Sea Dogs on Tuesday night.

Trailing until the third period and not showing much life, the Sea Dogs stormed back to defeat the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 4-3 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at Harbour Station.

Mike Thomas tied the game early in third before Alexandre Beauregard gave the team the lead, igniting the Sea Dogs. Although David Gilbert tied the game again soon after, the two quick markers seemed to give the squad the boost they needed to win the game.

Jonathan Huberdeau also scored in regulation while Nathan Beaulieu and Steven Anthony scored in the breakaway contest. Jacob DeSerres made 20 saves in net.

Gilbert, Zach O’Brien, and Jeremie Malouin each scored for the Titan. Robert Steeves played very well in net, stopping 34 shots on the night.

FIRST PERIOD
Call-up Spencer MacDonald got some physicality going early when he rocked Yoan Pinette along the boards.

After a few minutes of nothing, Saint John started to get some offensive pressure going. Nathan Beaulieu was at the point and set a bullet pass down low for a Sea Dog who deflected it wide of the cage. Then Beaulieu had the disc at the line again but fired it high of the cage.

Zach O’Brien made it a 1-0 Titan game following a Sea Dogs turnover at the blue line. O’Brien broke in alone and fired a wrist shot through the legs of Saint John netminder Jacob DeSerres to give the visitors the lead at 11:07.

At 15:21, Stephen MacAulay departed on a partial breakaway but was held up on the play, giving the Sea Dogs a power play. Their man advantage was not good at all, failing to get any good pressure going.

At 18:02, the Sea Dogs went back to the power play, and this time, Saint John was able to get some decent scoring chances. A shot from the side of the net ringed off the post which ended up being their best scoring chance.

Late in the period, MacAulay sent a short pass ahead to a streaking Alexandre Beauregard who just couldn’t get a stick on it to go in alone of Bathurst backstop Robert Steeves.

Saint John held a 7-5 shots advantage after one.

SECOND PERIOD
A turnover at the circle in the Bathurst zone allowed Jonathan Huberdeau to have a decent chance in front but he couldn’t get a shot off.

The Sea Dogs had another power play chance at 3:46 when Jordan Murray was called for tripping. It was the Titan with the most dangerous opportunity however as Gabriel Levesque found the loose puck in the Sea Dogs zone and tried to cut into the crease but was cut off by Michael Kirkpatrick.

Saint John tied the match on the same man advantage at 5:25. Beaulieu let a point shot go that went wide, allowing Huberdeau to bank the puck off Steeves and in to make it a 1-1 affair.

But Bathurst pulled ahead again at 7:20 when Jeremie Malouin came down the wing and beat DeSerres shortside to make it 2-1 Titan.

The Sea Dogs had a good scoring chance moments later when the puck was centered and tipped just high of the Titan cage.

After Saint John killed off a penalty, Stanislav Galiev had a solid opportunity in front but could not beat the Titan’ tender. On the play though, Bathurst drew a penalty at 13:37 when Marc-Olivier Mimar was called for hooking. The Sea Dogs produced some good pressure and were buzzing in the Titan zone but had difficulty getting any decent shots on goal.

Shots in the middle stanza were 11-5 Saint John.

THIRD PERIOD
At 3:17 of the third, Sea Dogs captain Mike Thomas made a stunning move to get around a defenseman in the offensive zone. He then put a nice deke on Steeves while falling down to finish off the beautiful goal and tie the affair at 2-2.

Sebastien Payette and Danick Gauthier dropped the gloves at 4:11. The two both landed some good shots before crashing to the ice.

Saint John took their first lead of the game at 4:56 when Galiev sent a perfect pass to Beauregard in front who made no mistake, giving the Sea Dogs a 3-2 lead.

But less than a minute later at 5:41, DeSerres was caught at the other side of the net while David Gilbert came out from behind the goal. DeSerres scrambled to get over but Gilbert beat the Sea Dogs ‘tender to tie the match at 3-3.

Later in the period, Thomas had another good chance when he entered the zone and hammered a shot on goal, forcing Steeves to make a nice pad stop. Moments later, Levesque had a chance for the Titan and hit the bottom of the post.

Daniel Tanel leveled Huberdeau from behind at 12:25, giving the Sea Dogs a five minute power play and giving Tanel a game misconduct. On the man advantage, Huberdeau had some room in front and fed Zach Phillips at the side of the net who shot wide. Then, MacAulay broke free of the Titan defense and made a great move on Steeves who stayed right with him to make the pad stop.

Shots in the third period were 16-8 Saint John.

OVERTIME
In overtime, Beaulieu had a great chance to end the game but the puck skimmed high. Bathurst also had a good chance as O’Brien fed Gilbert from behind the net but he ripped it high and wide. To close things out, Galiev was denied by Steeves who made a chest stop.

Shots in the extra session were 5-3 Titan.

SHOOTOUT
Beaulieu gave Saint John a 1-0 lead in the fourth round with a wrist shot that beat Steeves high glove side. Levesque then tied it by going around DeSerres’ poke check and going upstairs. After Jonathan Lessard and Galiev were stopped, Steven Anthony gave Saint John the lead. DeSerres then stopped Mimar to give the Sea Dogs the extra point.

NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs travel to Halifax to face the Mooseheads on Saturday night.