CHICOUTIMI, Que. - Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Nathan Beaulieu had another impressive fight on Saturday night. As the horn sounded to end the first period, Beaulieu and Alexandre Roy of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens dropped the gloves.
Beaulieu landed some bombs.
The Sea Dogs went on to win the match 4-3 in overtime.
Beaulieu, 18, only has three career Quebec Major Junior Hockey League regular season fights according to HockeyFights.com.
Showing posts with label Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Show all posts
Saturday, January 22, 2011
GELINAS SCORES WINNER AGAINST FORMER TEAM
FINAL (OT): Sea Dogs 4, Sagueneens 3
CHICOUTIMI, Que. – Eric Gelinas not only stung his former team, but he saved his new one.
An overtime goal by the New Jersey Devils prospect gave the Saint John Sea Dogs a 4-3 victory the Chicoutimi Sagueneens at the Georges Vezina Centre on Saturday evening in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.
The Sea Dogs held a 3-0 lead in the third period until the Sagueneens stormed back to send the game into extra time. It was yet another case of the Sea Dogs sitting back on a lead and not pressing, allowing the Sagueneens to carry the play late in the third.
Michael Kirkpatrick, Stanislav Galiev, and Stephen MacAulay all scored for the winners. Goaltender Mathieu Corbeil played well in net, making 23 saves in the win.
The Sagueneens had goals from Steve Lebel, Napessis Andre, and Alexandre Roy. Goaltender Christopher Gibson was solid, making some excellent, timely saves while facing 41 shots on the night.
Saint John will have to correct their problems quickly as they will not be able to make many errors tomorrow afternoon against the Quebec Remparts.
FIRST PERIOD
After a few minutes of back-and-forth stuff, Simon Despres created the first scoring chance by coming down the wing and firing a shot wide. Then Jonathan Huberdeau sat in front but was denied by the pad of Christopher Gibson.
After Mike Thomas had a decent chance down low for Saint John, a scramble in the Sea Dogs crease created a good opportunity for the Sagueneens but the puck sailed wide of the net.
Saint John went to the penalty kill at 12:25 as Despres headed to the box. While shorthanded, Kevin Gagne sent a great pass to a wide open Michael Kirkpatrick who sent the shot wide. That would turn out to be the best scoring chance during the two-minute span.
Chicoutimi went back to the man advantage at 15:37 as Stanislav Galiev headed to the box. Kirkpatrick had yet another shorthanded chance as he found the disc and went in alone. But once again, the overage forward fired the disc wide. That would be the only excitement during the span.
Tomas Jurco had a break of his own a few minutes later. He made a move to his backhand but was denied by the pad of Gibson who stayed with him. Shortly after, Chicoutimi was buzzing around the net and got a few decent shots off on netminder Mathieu Corbeil.
Saint John went to the power play at 19:43. A Despres point shot was stopped but Stephen MacAulay found the rebound. Gibson made that stop as well but a large scrum was created as the buzzer sounded to end the frame. Out of all that, Nathan Beaulieu and Alexandre Roy dropped the gloves in a great tilt. The Sea Dogs defenseman was throwing some bombs, landing several blows to the head. Roy fell to the ice with his jersey pulled over his face.
Chicoutimi outshot Saint John 9-8 in the opening frame.
SECOND PERIOD
Huberdeau had the best chance early on as he performed a wraparound move that was stopped by Gibson. The Sagueneens then took two straight penalties at 4:28 and 6:08, giving the Dogs some power play time to work with.
Gelinas had the best chance on the man advantage as he beat Gibson with a one-time shot but couldn’t get it to beat the crossbar. Shortly after, Mike Thomas had a partial break but was hauled down by a Sagueneens defenseman. There was no penalty called on the questionable play.
With the man advantage over, Kirkpatrick fired a shot that produced a fairly large rebound. The puck trickled beside the crease but no Saint John player was there to tap it home. Pierre Durepos then got in on the action, entering a clear shooting lane and wristing the puck on goal that was stopped by Gibson.
Chicoutimi had a few good moments soon after. A wraparound shot went to the goal line but somehow Corbeil was able to get enough on it to keep it out. Then, Steve Lebel let a backhand shot on goal but was denied by the pad of Corbeil. After play continued for a few minutes, the officials went upstairs to check the wraparound save. After a short delay and a nice statue-like pose by Chicoutimi head coach Richard Martel, it was ruled no goal.
Saint John opened the scoring at 16:14. A nice feed from MacAulay found Kirkpatrick who had a brief break. The Sea Dogs alternate captain made a move to the backhand and deked out Gibson to give the Sea Dogs a 1-0 lead.
The Dogs took a 2-0 lead at 18:54. Galiev was parked inside the circle and fired a shot that beat Gibson along the far post to double Saint John’s lead going into intermission.
Shots in the middle session were 16-8.
THIRD PERIOD
Saint John started the third period well. Phillips centered the puck for Huberdeau as the two had a mini-two-on-one chance but couldn’t get a shot on goal.
The Sea Dogs went to the power play at 1:03 as Charles Hudon ran into Corbeil on a partial break. MacAulay was able to redirect a point shot on the man advantage at 1:23 to give the Sea Dogs a 3-0 lead.
After Phillips let a sharp angle shot go that just missed the cage, the collapse began.
Alexandre Lavoie started it off as he cut through the crease, forcing Corbeil to make a nice stop. Soon after, the Sags got on the board at 10:13 as Lebel fired a low wrister from beside the circle that beat the Sea Dogs netminder to make it a 3-1 game.
Chicoutimi was beginning to pick up momentum until Alexandre Roy took a penalty at 11:43 to put the Dogs back on the power play. Saint John had some decent pressure but nothing serious on the ensuing man advantage.
Gelinas was called for tripping at 14:04, giving the Sagueneens a huge power play opportunity. After a Saint John time-out, the Sags tied the match as Napessis Andre sat below the dot and beat a downed Corbeil up high to make it a one-goal affair.
The Sagueneens kept pressing after the marker as Sean Girard let a shot go from just inside through some traffic, forcing Corbeil to make a quick pad save. At 17:30, Gauthier took dumb penalty as he was called for interference behind the net. On their final man advantage opportunity, the Sags delivered as Roy completed the Gordie Howe Hat Trick with the tying goal and make it a 3-3 game.
Shots in the final frame of regulation were 13-8 Saint John.
OVERTIME
Gelinas ended the game at 2:51 as he picked up the puck just above the crease area and fired one past Gibson in close range to give the Dogs a 4-3 victory.
Shots in the extra frame were 4-1 Saint John.
The Sea Dogs went 1-for-5 on the power play while the Sagueneens went 2-for-4.
SAINT JOHN SCRATCHES
Forwards Scott Oke, Ryan Tesink, and Steven Anthony were all healthy scratches as the Sea Dogs coaching staff tries to keep their team as fresh as possible for Sunday’s game in Quebec City.
As a result of scratching three forwards, defenseman Kevin Gagne saw some time on the wing.
QUICK HITS
All three games that Mathieu Corbeil has started as a Sea Dogs have gone to extra time… Eric Gelinas had a team high seven shots against his former team… Chicoutimi defenseman Guillaume Cloutier, who went the other way in the Gelinas trade, was a -1 and had no points or shots… the Sea Dogs have gotten at least a point in their last nine games… to relive the match, check out the SN Live Blog.
NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs take on one of the top teams in the country tomorrow in Quebec City as they face the Remparts. Note that this is a 3:00 pm local start, meaning the broadcast time is 4:00 pm in Atlantic Canada.
Photo Credit: Marc Henwood/Station Nation
PRE-GAME: Saint John Sea Dogs vs Chicoutimi Sagueneens
GAME DAY
WHO: Saint John Sea Dogs vs Chicoutimi Sagueneens
WHEN: Today, 5:00 pm
WHERE: Georges Vezina Centre
VISITING TEAM: Saint John Sea Dogs
Record: 36-5-1-2 (1st in Atlantic Division)
Last Game: 3-2 win at Baie-Comeau yesterday
Leading Scorer: Jonathan Huberdeau (43GP-27G-40A-67Pts)
Notes: The Saint John Sea Dogs enter Chicoutimi today with a record of 36-5-1-2 which is good for top spot on the Maritimes Division and first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Sea Dogs hold the division lead with comfort as they have a 12-point lead over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. After winning last night, Saint John is four points up on the Quebec Remparts for the overall lead in the QMJHL with two games in hand… in the latest edition of the BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10 Rankings, the Sea Dogs were ranked first… Saint John is coming off a 3-2 win in Baie-Comeau last night against the cellar dwelling Drakkar. The Sea Dogs had a good first but the game slip away in the second period, allowing the Drakkar to take a 2-1 lead. But Saint John would battle back in the third and pull off a victory thanks to Steven Anthony’s game winner. Also scoring for Saint John was Danick Gauthier and Mike Thomas. Goaltender Jacob DeSerres played quite in goal, making some big saves to propel the Dogs to victory… 8-1-1-0 in their last 10 games and have picked up at least a point in their last eight outings. They are 7-0-1-0 over that stretch… the Sea Dogs are 15-5-0-1 away from home this season with all of their regulation loses coming while being on the road. The Dogs have outscored their opposition 93-63 on the road this season… the Sea Dogs have the seventh best power play in the league with a rating of 23.8%. On the road, they are operating at 28%, which is the second best road power play in the league… on the penalty kill, Saint John is ranked sixth with a rating of 80.5%. On the road, they are running at 75.7%... Jonathan Huberdeau leads the Sea Dogs in points this season with 67 in 43 games… Zack Phillips and Huberdeau sit tied for the team high in goals with 27 on the year… Huberdeau leads the club in assists with 40 while Phillips is second with 37 and Michael Kirkpatrick is third with 32… Phillips is second in the league in power play goals with 12… Mike Thomas is fourth in the league in shorthanded goals with three… Phillips is third in the QMJHL in game winning goals with six… Steven Anthony is tied for top spot in the league in terms of insurance goals with five… Huberdeau is a league best +39… Kirkpatrick has taken the second most dangerous shots of any player in the league with 126… Mathieu Corbeil will likely start in goal for Saint John this afternoon. Corbeil has a record of 8-15-1-1, a goals against average of 3.63, and a save percentage of 0.869. Since moving to Saint John, he is 1-0-1-0 with a GAA of 2.38 and a save percentage of 0.894… both games Corbeil has played in since joining the Sea Dogs have gone to extra time… Eric Gelinas is third in the league among defenseman in shots taken this season with 133… Saint John is 26-2-0-1 when scoring first… the Sea Dogs are averaging a league high in shots per game with an average of 36.55… Steven Anthony has scored in four straight games… Zack Phillips has gotten an assist in four straight games on the road.
Record: 16-21-3-6 (5th in Telus East Division)
Last Game: 3-2 loss vs Shawinigan yesterday
Leading Scorer: Guillaume Asselin (46GP-21G-30A-51Pts)
Notes: The Chicoutimi Sagueneens enter action today with a record of 16-21-3-6 which places them fifth in the Telus East Division and 13th overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Sags are 34 points back of the league leading Saint John Sea Dogs and are 30 points back of the division leading Quebec Remparts… Chicoutimi is coming off a 3-2 loss against the Shawinigan Cataractes last night. Dominic Poulin and Charles Hudon each scored for Chicoutimi who were outshot 27-24 by the Cataractes. Goaltender Christopher Gibson made 24 saves in the loss… 2-5-0-3 in their last 10 games and have lost four straight. On their current losing skid, they have managed to pick up just one point… this will be the Sagueneens final home game of the month as they do not play at the Georges Vezina Centre again until February 2. Over that time, the team will play three road games… the Sags are 10-8-2-2 at home this season and have outscored their opposition by a single goal – 67-66. Chicoutimi has earned 24 points at home this season in 22 games… Chicoutimi has the third worst power play in the league with a rating of 15.9%. At home, they are operating at 11.9%... on the flip side, the Sags’ penalty kill is ranked 13th on the league with a rating of 76.9%. At home, they are running at 76.5%... Chicoutimi averages the second fewest penalty minutes per game in the league. They are averaging just 11.3 minutes per game… Chicoutimi has a league high six shootout loses this year. They have participated in a league leading eight breakaway contests this year, going 2-6… Guillaume Asselin leads the club in points this season with 51 on the year in 46 contests. He has a big lead on Charles Hudon, who is second on the team in points with 37… Asselin also leads the team in goals with 21 and assists with 30. Despite all that, he is a -2 on the year… former Sea Dogs defenseman Guillaume Cloutier is a team high +21. Since joining the Sagueneens, he is a -2… Hudon sits fourth in rookie scoring with 37 points in 41 games. He is six points back of the rookie scoring lead… Christopher Gibson will likely get the start in net for Chicoutimi today. The Top Prospects Game participant is 9-9-1-5 this year with a goals against average of 2.11 and a save percentage of 0.928. Gibson has the best GAA and save percentage in the league… Nicolas Therrien is fifth among defenseman in the QMJHL with 12 power play assists… 13-4-2-2 when scoring first… Hudon is on a 14-game point scoring streak that goes all the way back to November 24.
Yesterday, the Sea Dogs coaching staff gave defenseman Nathan Beaulieu and forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Tomas Jurco that night off after playing in Wednesday’s Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Toronto.
Zack Phillips also played in the match on Wednesday but did appear in Saint John’s lineup last night. He could get tonight off.
WELCOME BACK
It will be a homecoming for Eric Gelinas who was traded from the Sagueneens to the Sea Dogs at the holiday trading period. In exchange for the New Jersey Devils prospect, Chicoutimi received defenseman Guillaume Cloutier.
In 63 career games with the Sags, Gelinas recorded 12 goals and 24 assists. Since joining the Sea Dogs, he has four assists in five games. On the other side, Cloutier has one goal and one assist in five matches with his new club.
OUT FOR REVENGE
One of the more memorable games of the season was played between these two teams on November 6 at Harbour Station. Down by two goals in the final minute, the Sea Dogs stormed back to tie the game at 3-3 with just seconds remaining.
The Sagueneens would pull off the win in a shootout, though, giving the Sea Dogs their first loss of any kind at Harbour Station this season. Saint John will look to avenge that loss this afternoon.
NOTES
- This is basically a trap game as the Sea Dogs face one of the country’s best teams in the Quebec Remparts tomorrow afternoon. The Dogs will have to be sharp and try not to look past this match.
- This is the second game of a Quebec three-in-three trip for the Dogs. They close it out tomorrow afternoon.
ARENA INFO
Venue: Georges Vezina Centre
Seating Capacity: 4,651
Average Attendance: 3,025 (7th on QMJHL)
Year Built: 1949
QMJHL Arena Guide
MEDIA GUIDE
Radio (Sea Dogs): News 88.9 FM
Live Web Feed: Telus
Television: None
Live Blog: Station Nation
Post-Game Coverage: Station Nation, Telegraph-Journal
Follow Station Nation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/station_nation for in-game updates, scores, stats, and live coverage during tonight’s game.
AFTER THE BUZZER
The Sea Dogs travel to Quebec City tomorrow in what should be an epic tilt at the Pepsi Colisee against the league’s best. Note that this game is a 4:00 pm Atlantic start.
Photo Credits: Marc Henwood/Station Nation, Saint John Sea Dogs, CHL Images, QMJHL Arena Guide
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
BIG BOOST FOR THE BLUE LINE
The Sea Dogs acquired Chicoutimi Sagueneens veteran defenseman Eric Gelinas in exchange for rookie defender Guillaume Cloutier today. Rumours are already circulating that Saint John will send more to the Sags at the QMJHL Entry Draft in June.
Gelinas, a New Jersey Devils second round pick in 2009, is considered one of the top defenseman in the QMJHL, and if rumours mean anything, was generating plenty of interest over the past few days.
“Starting to get VERY curious to see where Eric Gelinas ends up,” tweeted Willy Palov of the Chronicle Herald yesterday. “Richard Martel must be cooking up something pretty interesting in Chicoutimi.”
Gelinas, 19, has plenty of QMJHL experience. He spent his first two-and-a-half seasons in Lewiston prior to be traded to Chicoutimi half way through. Prior to this year, Gelinas had played in 182 career Quebec league games, recording 19 goals and 70 assists along the way as well as a -44 rating and 173 penalty minutes.
His plus/minus total is deceiving, however, as the Ottawa native has never played for a contending team like Saint John. With Lewiston and Chicoutimi, Gelinas has never made it past the first round of the playoffs.
This year, the veteran has nine goals and 15 assists in 35 games. He is tied with Moncton’s Brandon Gormley for 20th in league scoring among defenseman.
“We are thrilled to have him,” said Sea Dogs director of hockey operations Mike Kelly in a release. “He is an elite defenseman that will provide a steadying influence on our blue line”
Saint John’s defense has been pretty good this season, but it was obvious at times they were lacking in some areas. Judging by his talent analysis on Hockey’s Future, Gelinas is just what the doctor ordered.
Gelinas displayed leadership qualities this past season in Lewiston, anchoring a mostly inexperienced blueline corps. He has some offensive ability, and has shown himself to be a responsible defensive player, as well. If a scout believes that there is some upside to his game, then Gelinas might be a wise selection for a team looking for a defenseman with size and overall ability.The Sea Dogs have done a nice job at adding some depth to their defense core over the holiday trading period. Along with Gelinas, the team acquired Jason Seed from the Gatineau Olympiques who should be a suitable replacement for Cloutier.
Saint John now boasts a solid defense unit headlined by Gelinas, Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Simon Despres, the always steady Pierre Durepos and Kevin Gagne, and offensive blue-liner Nathan Beaulieu.
Gelinas played last night for the Sagueneens against the Montreal Juniors. The Sea Dogs’ next game is Saturday night in Halifax.
The trading period closes tomorrow at 1:00 pm AST.
Friday, November 19, 2010
FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Four Goal Leads Aren't Always Safe
Ed. Note: Each Friday, SN takes a look at a moment(s) in Sea Dogs history. In a continuing trend of random topics that make little sense to any current event, we look back at two wins featuring four goal leads from the 2007-08 season.
Earlier this season, the Saint John Sea Dogs blew a 5-1 mid-second period lead to fall to the Drummondville Voltigeurs 7-6 in a shootout. Back during the 2007-2008 campaign, two memorable matches featured some whacky events surrounding four goal leads as well.
Back on October 27, 2007, the Sea Dogs climbed out of a 5-1 second period lead themselves. It was easily one of the most entertaining games ever played by the Sea Dogs (at the time). This game is also high on our list of the greatest Alex Grant moments in team history.
Just how remarkable was this game at the time? Just look at the Sea Dogs’ website game recap opening paragraph:
But then the Sea Dogs’ comeback began. From the Sea Dogs’ recap via Our Sports Central:
Grant = clutch.
On November 16, 2007 that same season, Saint John almost blew a four goal lead under bizarre circumstances.
The Sea Dogs held a 4-0 lead in Chicoutimi after two periods – but then the lights went out. A power outage at the George Vezina Centre caused the third period of the game to be moved to November 18.
But an offensive surge by the Sagueneens tied the game at 4-4 on the unexpected Sunday afternoon tilt, forcing overtime where Chris DiDomenico recorded his 20th of the season to give Saint John a 5-4 win. The worst part of having to play the Sunday game was the fact that the Rogers Sportsnet crew was in town for the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge which was played on the following day in Chicoutimi. Saint John’s epic collapse was then brought up on the nationally televised contest.
"It was definitely a strange set of circumstances, but we're very happy to be taking these two points home with us," said DiDomenico following the wacky road victory to the Sea Dogs’ website.
Earlier this season, the Saint John Sea Dogs blew a 5-1 mid-second period lead to fall to the Drummondville Voltigeurs 7-6 in a shootout. Back during the 2007-2008 campaign, two memorable matches featured some whacky events surrounding four goal leads as well.
Back on October 27, 2007, the Sea Dogs climbed out of a 5-1 second period lead themselves. It was easily one of the most entertaining games ever played by the Sea Dogs (at the time). This game is also high on our list of the greatest Alex Grant moments in team history.
Just how remarkable was this game at the time? Just look at the Sea Dogs’ website game recap opening paragraph:
Harbour Station bore witness to an event fraught with awesomeness on Saturday night, as the Saint John Sea Dogs earned their tenth win of the season in amazingly dramatic fashion, erasing a four-goal deficit in handing the St. John's Fog Devils a 6-5 shootout loss.Alexandre Leduc opened the scoring at 13:47 of the first period to give Saint John a 1-0 lead 20 minutes. But the Fog Devils would score five straight goals – including two from current Cape Breton Screaming Eagle Taylor MacDougall - in the opening 15:17 of the second period to take a 5-1 lead.
But then the Sea Dogs’ comeback began. From the Sea Dogs’ recap via Our Sports Central:
Scott Howes then pulled the Sea Dogs to within three of the Fog Devils' lead with 2:04 remaining in the middle frame, firing a shot that deflected off of a St. John's defenseman prior to finding the back of the net and earning the 20-year old winger his fourth tally of the season. Chris DiDomenico then scored on the power play with 24.3 seconds on the clock - unleashing a howitzer of a slap shot from the slot that put the home team right back in the game as the contest reached the forty minute mark."This was definitely a huge character-building win for our team," said the Sea Grant following the thrilling victory. "We didn't play our best game out there tonight, that's for sure, but we found a way to win and that's all that matters. Hopefully we can carry this momentum into Tuesday's game against Lewiston."
The Sea Dogs moved to within one of the St. John's lead midway through the third period, as Alexandre Leduc notched a power play marker to make the score 5-4 with 11:06 remaining in regulation.
At the 17:03 mark of regulation's final frame the 3,590 fans in attendance at Harbour Station erupted into an unabashed frenzy as star defenseman Alex Grant led an odd-man rush into Fog Devils territory, beating Allen with a hard backhand shot to produce the equalizer and send Saturday's match into overtime.
The breakaway contest saw both teams failing to score in the opening round prior to T.J. Brennan and Chris DiDomenico exchanging goals in the second. After Travis Fullerton stymied Ryan Graham's attempt in the third round, the stage was set for the Sea Dogs to win the game as their third shooter took the ice - Alex Grant.
The Sea Dogs Captain did not disappoint on his scoring attempt, beating Allen with a nifty shot to earn the skate-off goal and complete the incredible comeback which had begun late in the second period.
Grant = clutch.
On November 16, 2007 that same season, Saint John almost blew a four goal lead under bizarre circumstances.
The Sea Dogs held a 4-0 lead in Chicoutimi after two periods – but then the lights went out. A power outage at the George Vezina Centre caused the third period of the game to be moved to November 18.
But an offensive surge by the Sagueneens tied the game at 4-4 on the unexpected Sunday afternoon tilt, forcing overtime where Chris DiDomenico recorded his 20th of the season to give Saint John a 5-4 win. The worst part of having to play the Sunday game was the fact that the Rogers Sportsnet crew was in town for the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge which was played on the following day in Chicoutimi. Saint John’s epic collapse was then brought up on the nationally televised contest.
"It was definitely a strange set of circumstances, but we're very happy to be taking these two points home with us," said DiDomenico following the wacky road victory to the Sea Dogs’ website.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
POSTSCRIPT: Sagueneens 4, Sea Dogs 3 (SO)
SEA DOGS – SAGUENEENS GAME AT A GLANCE
Final Score (OT): Chicoutimi 4, Saint John 3
Saint John Goals: Mike Thomas (3), Nathan Beaulieu (3), and Jonathan Huberdeau (14)
Chicoutimi Goals: Eric Gelinas (3), Steve Lebel (4), and Billy Lacasse (6)
Winning Goaltender: Robin Gusse
Losing Goaltender: Frederic Piche
THE NUMBERS
Power Play: Sagueneens: 1/4, Sea Dogs: 0/3
Shots on Goal: Sagueneens: 7+16+9+1+1=34, Sea Dogs: 15+7+14+3+0=39
Length: 2:30
Attendance: 4,595
SAINT JOHN SCRATCHES
Simon Despres missed his second straight game with a hip injury. The Pittsburgh Penguins prospect missed Friday’s game versus Cape Breton as well. He is questionable for Game One of the Subway Super Series tomorrow at Harbour Station. Rookies Tyrone Sock and Guillaume Cloutier were both in the lineup as defensemen.
Scott Oke was the scratched forward for Saint John
A poorly played game by the Saint John Sea Dogs was enough to steal a point from of a 4-3 shootout loss to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action last night at Harbour Station.
The Sea Dogs allowed the Sagueneens to carry the play for most of the game. Saint John played a style of game that is becoming typical of them against a lower level opponent. The Dogs got off to a decent start in the first period but slowly let their momentum evaporate, eventually being forced to climb back from a two goal deficit.
The Sea Dogs were fortunate to even salvage a point out of the game as two goals in final minute forced to match into overtime and the eventual shootout.
The Sagueneens opened the scoring at 14:04 of the first with Zach Phillips in the box. New Jersey Devils prospect Eric Gelinas blasted a rolling puck through traffic from inside the line and beat Frederic Piche to make it 1-0.
In the second period, the Sea Dogs dug themselves into a hole by getting down by two. A shot from the corner hit the Saint John crease and was pushed in by Steve Lebel in front to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.
It wasn’t until 7:01 of the third period when Saint John was finally able to break Robin Gusse’s goose egg (by law, this phrase has to be used once per post when discussing the Sagueneens) via a Mike Thomas wraparound goal. But the Sags scored quite possibly the most deflating goal of all-time when Billy Lacasse tipped the puck up and over Piche 29 seconds later to give his team a two goal lead once again.
With under a minute left and Piche on the bench in favour of the extra attacker, Zach Phillips sent an unreal pass from the corner to a streaking Nathan Beaulieu who one-timed it past Gusse to make it a one goal game with 50 seconds left.
With under 20 seconds to go, the puck got stuck in a pile in the corner and it looked like it would stay there until the buzzer went. But Phillips was able to gain control and feed Jonathan Huberdeau at the side of the net. With under five seconds on the clock, Huberdeau beat Gusse from a sharp angle to force overtime.
Overtime solved nothing so the match went to a shootout.
Gelinas went first and scored. With YouTube on standby, Tomas Jurco shot first for Saint John but missed the net. Lebel scored for the Sags to give them a 2-0 lead before Huberdeau pulled off his trademark move to make it 2-1. Piche then stopped Charles Hudon with a great pad save, putting the pressure on Michael Kirkpatrick who would have to score to keep the shootout going.
He wouldn’t, and Chicoutimi picked up the extra point.
PRE-GAME STUFF
There was a solid pre-game ceremony prior to the game on “Support Our Troops Day” at Harbour Station. As there is every year in just about every Canadian Hockey League arena, there was a ceremony at center ice featuring some veterans and military folks.
A pleasant surprise saw Canadian born singer Terry Kelly perform during the ceremony. He’s a pretty interesting guy if you’ve never heard of him before. He performed his well known song “A Pittance of Time” as well as the Canadian anthem.
There were lots of military personnel in the stands as well.
NOT SO PERFECT
The Sea Dogs dropped their first home game of the season with a loss yesterday. They’re winning run ended at nine straight wins on Harbour Station ice. However, they still have not lost a game in regulation at home.
Speaking of Harbour Station, the Sea Dogs posted this on their Twitter page earlier today:
Thanks fans! After ten 2010-11 home games Saint John is averaging 3,978 spectators per game, an increase of 13.5% over this time last season.That is a pretty significant increase – especially for the first quarter of the season. Traditionally, crowds don’t see much of an increase until later on in the winter.
EVERYTHING MUST END
A bunch of streaks and odd facts came to an end with last night’s loss:
- First home loss of the season; nine game home winning streak ends.
- First Sea Dogs loss to Chicoutimi since the 2006-07 season.
- The Sea Dogs’ six game winning streak came to an end.
- It was the first loss with Pepsi in the building as well as the first defeat with the HD video on.
- First loss in the month of November since 2008.
Sags goaltender Robin Gusse played a solid game, stopping 36-of-39 shots. He looked a bit excited in the first period and produced some big rebounds but slowly calmed down.
“Gusse has been calm but explosive...very controlled crease management,” tweeted Moe from @TEAMshutout, a goalie school in Toronto.
Gusse picked up his first win of the season last night en route to being named the Buzzing The Net third star of the night.
TOO BAD SO SAD
The one thing we love about games like these – watching all the morons leave with two minutes left in the game. We’ll never, ever understand why people do this. It’s the same in every city and every sport across the world. Heaven forbid you wait five minutes longer on the parking lot.
One of the best blogs in hockey, The Pensblog, sums it up beautifully.
To this fan, anything that takes place on the ice is secondary to how long it will take to leave the arena parking lot. Once the clock starts to tick down, the real game begins and this game is all about getting the hell of out the building as soon as possible.CLUTCH GOALS
For some reason this fan is at a hockey game, but desperately wants to leave it.
After all, we all know that nothing important ever happens after the 18 minute mark of the third period. The final two minutes of a hockey game is never, ever exciting.
These fans typically blend in quite well.
Until the final few minutes of the game, they seem just like any other fan. However, if you wait too long to look for them, they'll be gone.
The clock hitting 0:00 is like Kryptonite to them. They have to get away before this terrible event happens.
From NHLDraftVideo.com, here is Jonathan Huberdeau’s game tying goal scored in the dying seconds of the third period. Great call by Roszell.
Here is Nathan Beaulieu’s third period goal that was scored 45 seconds prior. What a pass by Phillips.
HIGHLIGHTS
QUICK HITS
Goaltender Jacob DeSerres, who hurt his groin on Friday and had to leave the game, took part in some of warm-up and sat on the bench for the game as backup. He was definitely being a bit cautious on the ice… DeSerres also sported a new mask. He had been wearing his Brandon Wheat King helmet since he arrived… there was no inflatable Sea Dog or intro video due to the pre-game festivities… Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant was not happy over Chicoutimi’s third goal as it looked like it may have been knocked down by a high stick at the blue line. The call would stand… Zach Phillips set up both late third period goals… Rogers Sportsnet junior hockey analyst Sam Cosentino was at the game and was interviewed during the second intermission on News 88.9… the Sags finish up their Maritime road trip this afternoon in Bathurst... to relive the game, check out the SN Live Blog Replay.
NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs have a week off before facing the Acadie-Bathurst Titan next Saturday at 7:00 pm at Harbour Station.
TOMORROW
Game One of the Subway Super Series goes down tomorrow evening at Harbour Station at 7:00 pm. There are still a limited amount of tickets available. Paul L. pointed this out earlier today on the Harbour Station website:
No wonder it hasn’t sold-out yet. It has since been corrected.
The game can also be viewed on Rogers Sportsnet East, West, and Pacific beginning at 7pm and Sportsnet Ontario at 8pm. RDS will also have the game.
Photo Credits: Google, Saint John Sea Dogs, Marc Henwood, Harbour Station
Saturday, November 6, 2010
MIRACULOUS COMEBACK FALLS SHORT
SN RECAP
FINAL (SO): Sagueneens 4, Sea Dogs 3
SAINT JOHN – An epic comeback fell short at Harbour Station on Saturday night, and in the end, the better team won.
The Chicoutimi Sagueneens walked into Harbour Station Saturday and stole the extra point away from the Saint John Sea Dogs via a thrilling 4-3 shootout victory. The loss ended Saint John’s six game winning streak and gave the Dogs their first loss at home in nine games.
The Sagueneens made it look easy for most of the match, carrying the play for much of the game and keeping Saint John’s powerful offense at bay. But with one minute left to go in the game and the Sea Dogs down 3-1, a performance that would make Jordan Eberle proud tied the affair in stunning fashion.
But in the end, the better team on the night would be victorious as the Sags downed the Sea Dogs 2-1 in the breakaway challenge.
Eric Gelinas, Steve Lebel, and Billy Lacasse all scored for the winners. Robin Gusse picked up his first win of the season by stopping 36-of-39 shots. He was solid.
Mike Thomas, Nathan Beaulieu, and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for Saint John. Frederic Piche certainly gave the Dogs a chance win, stopping 30-of-33 shots.
FIRST PERIOD
The Sea Dogs dominated the first part of the opening frame but could not score. A puck was centered in the crease for Tomas Jurco but it went off his skate and wide. Then Huberdeau made some sick stickhandling moves to get around a defenseman only to have a pass go off Jurco’s foot yet again.
A few minutes later, Stanislav Galiev had a great chance when he stole the puck at the dot and walked around Gusse in the crease but fired the puck wide.
The Sea Dogs went to the power play at 7:46 but could not apply any pressure. After killing off the penalty, Emrik Guillemette came down the wing and fired a shot from a wide angle, forcing Piche to make a nice save.
At 14:04 and Zach Phillips serving an interference penalty, the Sags would open the scoring. On a failed Saint John clearing attempt, Gelinas fired a bouncing puck through traffic that beat Piche upstairs to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Galiev then fed a streaking Michael Kirkpatrick but he couldn’t get a stick on the puck. Rock Regimbald then had a good opportunity at the other end in front but whiffed on the shot.
After Saint John successfully killed off a Danick Gauthier penalty, Huberdeau was denied on a solid wraparound move.
Shots in the first period were 15-7 Saint John.
SECOND PERIOD
Alexandre Roy had the best chance for Chicoutimi early on when he had his shot blockered away by Piche. Gauthier then had a good chance for Saint John after his original shot produced a rebound that trickled just wide of the post.
Shortly after Alexandre Lavoie hit the crossbar, the Sags opened up a 2-0 lead. A shot from the corner found the crease area and Lebel was able to get a stick on it to force it across the goal line at 6:15.
Chicoutimi then began to take control of the game. Gelinas ripped a shot from just inside the line and hit Piche square in the head. Then, Nicolas Therrien fired a shot off the crossbar.
The Sea Dogs went to another power play at 13:13. Their best chance came when Galiev hit the outside of the post from a bad angle.
At 19:49, Lebel was called for slashing. When the final buzzer went, a massive scrum took place behind the Chicoutimi goal with everyone getting involved – including Gusse. Huberdeau and Therrien got into it on the ice but nothing would come out of it.
Shots in the middle session were 16-7 Chicoutimi.
THIRD PERIOD
The Sea Dogs finally found the score sheet at 7:01 of the third period. The play all started when Tyrone Sock made a nice play at the line to keep the puck in. Thomas was then given the puck and went around the back-of-the-net, sliding it past Gusse to make it 2-1.
But just 29 seconds later, the Sags scored an unbelievably deflating goal. The puck was knocked down at the line and then passed up ahead to Lacasse he tipped the puck up and over Piche to give Chicoutimi their two goal lead back.
Galiev had a good chance later on, firing a wrist shot that produced a juicy rebound that was stopped also.
The Sea Dogs were called for too many men at 14:11, making it look like all hope was lost for Saint John. But after a successful kill, Piche was pulled with lots of time left. Roy missed an empty net for Sags with just over a minute left, allowing the Sea Dogs to go into magic mode in the final minute.
Phillips sent an unreal pass from the corner to a streaking Beaulieu at 19:10. His goal made it 3-2 with lots of time and left. The Sea Dogs called a time-out following the marker to work out some kind of plan.
With under 20 seconds to go, the puck was jammed into the corner and was stuck there for some time. Phillips managed to dig it out and walked behind the net, sending a short pass to Huberdeau along the goal line. Huberdeau fired from an impossible angle and beat Gusse to tie the game at 3-3 with 4.5 seconds left of the clock. Harbour Station then blew up.
Shots in the third were 14-9 Saint John.
OVERTIME
Saint John put on some great pressure in overtime. Galiev was an animal and it looked like he was going to end it several times. But he didn’t.
Shots in OT were 3-1 Sea Dogs.
SHOOTOUT
Gelinas shot first, beating Piche with a wrist shot to make it 1-0 in the breakaway challenge. After Jurco missed, Lebel went five-hole to give the Sags a two goal lead.
Huberdeau pulled off his trademark move as the second Saint John shooter. Charles Hudon was then absolutely robbed by the leg of Piche, putting the pressure on Michael Kirkpatrick who had to score to keep Saint John’s hopes alive.
But the 20-year veteran would shot wide, giving the Sagueneens a 2-1 win the shootout and a 4-3 win overall.
Chicoutimi was 1/4 on the power play while Saint John was 0/3.
NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow.
NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan next Saturday at Harbour Station.
SSS TICKETS: There are still a limited amount of tickets available for Game One of the Subway Super Series on Monday at Harbour Station.
FINAL (SO): Sagueneens 4, Sea Dogs 3
SAINT JOHN – An epic comeback fell short at Harbour Station on Saturday night, and in the end, the better team won.
The Chicoutimi Sagueneens walked into Harbour Station Saturday and stole the extra point away from the Saint John Sea Dogs via a thrilling 4-3 shootout victory. The loss ended Saint John’s six game winning streak and gave the Dogs their first loss at home in nine games.
The Sagueneens made it look easy for most of the match, carrying the play for much of the game and keeping Saint John’s powerful offense at bay. But with one minute left to go in the game and the Sea Dogs down 3-1, a performance that would make Jordan Eberle proud tied the affair in stunning fashion.
But in the end, the better team on the night would be victorious as the Sags downed the Sea Dogs 2-1 in the breakaway challenge.
Eric Gelinas, Steve Lebel, and Billy Lacasse all scored for the winners. Robin Gusse picked up his first win of the season by stopping 36-of-39 shots. He was solid.
Mike Thomas, Nathan Beaulieu, and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for Saint John. Frederic Piche certainly gave the Dogs a chance win, stopping 30-of-33 shots.
FIRST PERIOD
The Sea Dogs dominated the first part of the opening frame but could not score. A puck was centered in the crease for Tomas Jurco but it went off his skate and wide. Then Huberdeau made some sick stickhandling moves to get around a defenseman only to have a pass go off Jurco’s foot yet again.
A few minutes later, Stanislav Galiev had a great chance when he stole the puck at the dot and walked around Gusse in the crease but fired the puck wide.
The Sea Dogs went to the power play at 7:46 but could not apply any pressure. After killing off the penalty, Emrik Guillemette came down the wing and fired a shot from a wide angle, forcing Piche to make a nice save.
At 14:04 and Zach Phillips serving an interference penalty, the Sags would open the scoring. On a failed Saint John clearing attempt, Gelinas fired a bouncing puck through traffic that beat Piche upstairs to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Galiev then fed a streaking Michael Kirkpatrick but he couldn’t get a stick on the puck. Rock Regimbald then had a good opportunity at the other end in front but whiffed on the shot.
After Saint John successfully killed off a Danick Gauthier penalty, Huberdeau was denied on a solid wraparound move.
Shots in the first period were 15-7 Saint John.
SECOND PERIOD
Alexandre Roy had the best chance for Chicoutimi early on when he had his shot blockered away by Piche. Gauthier then had a good chance for Saint John after his original shot produced a rebound that trickled just wide of the post.
Shortly after Alexandre Lavoie hit the crossbar, the Sags opened up a 2-0 lead. A shot from the corner found the crease area and Lebel was able to get a stick on it to force it across the goal line at 6:15.
Chicoutimi then began to take control of the game. Gelinas ripped a shot from just inside the line and hit Piche square in the head. Then, Nicolas Therrien fired a shot off the crossbar.
The Sea Dogs went to another power play at 13:13. Their best chance came when Galiev hit the outside of the post from a bad angle.
At 19:49, Lebel was called for slashing. When the final buzzer went, a massive scrum took place behind the Chicoutimi goal with everyone getting involved – including Gusse. Huberdeau and Therrien got into it on the ice but nothing would come out of it.
Shots in the middle session were 16-7 Chicoutimi.
THIRD PERIOD
The Sea Dogs finally found the score sheet at 7:01 of the third period. The play all started when Tyrone Sock made a nice play at the line to keep the puck in. Thomas was then given the puck and went around the back-of-the-net, sliding it past Gusse to make it 2-1.
But just 29 seconds later, the Sags scored an unbelievably deflating goal. The puck was knocked down at the line and then passed up ahead to Lacasse he tipped the puck up and over Piche to give Chicoutimi their two goal lead back.
Galiev had a good chance later on, firing a wrist shot that produced a juicy rebound that was stopped also.
The Sea Dogs were called for too many men at 14:11, making it look like all hope was lost for Saint John. But after a successful kill, Piche was pulled with lots of time left. Roy missed an empty net for Sags with just over a minute left, allowing the Sea Dogs to go into magic mode in the final minute.
Phillips sent an unreal pass from the corner to a streaking Beaulieu at 19:10. His goal made it 3-2 with lots of time and left. The Sea Dogs called a time-out following the marker to work out some kind of plan.
With under 20 seconds to go, the puck was jammed into the corner and was stuck there for some time. Phillips managed to dig it out and walked behind the net, sending a short pass to Huberdeau along the goal line. Huberdeau fired from an impossible angle and beat Gusse to tie the game at 3-3 with 4.5 seconds left of the clock. Harbour Station then blew up.
Shots in the third were 14-9 Saint John.
OVERTIME
Saint John put on some great pressure in overtime. Galiev was an animal and it looked like he was going to end it several times. But he didn’t.
Shots in OT were 3-1 Sea Dogs.
SHOOTOUT
Gelinas shot first, beating Piche with a wrist shot to make it 1-0 in the breakaway challenge. After Jurco missed, Lebel went five-hole to give the Sags a two goal lead.
Huberdeau pulled off his trademark move as the second Saint John shooter. Charles Hudon was then absolutely robbed by the leg of Piche, putting the pressure on Michael Kirkpatrick who had to score to keep Saint John’s hopes alive.
But the 20-year veteran would shot wide, giving the Sagueneens a 2-1 win the shootout and a 4-3 win overall.
Chicoutimi was 1/4 on the power play while Saint John was 0/3.
NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow.
NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan next Saturday at Harbour Station.
SSS TICKETS: There are still a limited amount of tickets available for Game One of the Subway Super Series on Monday at Harbour Station.
PRE-GAME: Chicoutimi Sagueneens vs Saint John Sea Dogs
GAME DAY
WHO: Chicoutimi Sagueneens vs Saint John Sea Dogs
WHEN: Tonight, 7:00 pm
WHERE: Harbour Station
VISITING TEAM: Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Record: 7-10-2-2 (5th in Telus East Division)
Last Game: 6-2 loss at Halifax yesterday
Leading Scorer: Guillaume Asselin (23GP-10-13A-23Pts)
Notes: The Chicoutimi Sagueneens come into tonight’s game with a record of 7-10-2-2 which places them fifth in the Telus Eastern Division and 14th overall in the 18-team Quebec Major Junior Hockey League… Chicoutimi is coming off a 6-2 loss in Halifax against the Mooseheads last night. Emrik Guillemette and Alexandre Roy each scored in the third period for the Sags in the loss. Christopher Gibson stopped 33-of-39 shots to pick up the loss. 50 penalty minutes were handed out among the two teams… the Sags are in the middle of a rather massive road trip through the Maritimes. They kicked it off on Wednesday night in Cape Breton with a 2-0 win over the Screaming Eagles. They then lost last night in Halifax, play at Harbour Station tonight, and end their trip tomorrow afternoon at the KC Irving Regional Centre with a tilt against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan… on the road this season, Chicoutimi is 2-7-1-1 and have been outscored 29-35 along the way. They are 5-3-1-1 at home… 3-5-1-1 in their last 10 games and are coming off a loss… they have been outscored 62-48 this season… Guillaume Asselin leads the Sags in scoring with 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points in 23 games. His 10 goals are a team high with the next highest total being six… Rock Regimbald, the coolest name in the QMJHL, has a team leading 16 assists this season… Alexandre Lavoie is a team best +6 while Alexandre Roy is a worst -11… goaltender Christopher Gibson has played the most minutes for the club this season. He has a record of 7-6-1-1, a goal against average of 2.30, and a save percentage of 0.925%. Their other goaltnender, Robin Gusse, has had his struggles this season. He has an 0-4-1-1 record to go along with a 4.10 GAA and a 0.866 SV%... according to EliteProspects.com, Chicoutimi is the youngest team in the QMJHL with an average age of 17.50 years. EDIT: @QMJHLFights says they are second with an average age of 17.83… the Sags are the 10th heaviest team in the ‘Q’ with an average weight of 80.77 kg… they are the sixth shortest team in the league with an average height of 182.87 cm.
HOME TEAM: Saint John Sea Dogs
Record: 16-3-0-1 (1st in Maritimes Division)
Last Game: 7-2 win vs Cape Breton yesterday
Leading Scorer: Jonathan Huberdeau (20GP-13G-14A-27Pts)
Notes: The Saint John Sea Dogs enter play today with a 16-3-0-1 record which is good for first in the Maritimes Division and are now one point ahead of the Quebec Remparts for first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. They were ranked sixth in Canada this week in the BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10 Rankings… Saint John is coming off a 7-2 win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles last night at Harbour Station. It was a fairly uneventful tilt that saw the Eagles score first. But the Sea Dogs would have a pretty easy time after the first period. Zach Phillips scored a pair for Saint John while Gabriel Bourret, Stephen MacAulay, Michael Kirkpatrick, Steven Anthony, and Kevin Gagne all scored singles. Goaltender Jacob DeSerres made 13 stops through 40 minutes before leaving because of an apparent groin injury. Frederic Piche stopped all 14 shots he faced in the third period… Saint John has now won six straight games with wins over Halifax, two against Val-d’Or and Rouyn-Noranda, and last night’s victory over Cape Breton… 9-1-0-0 in their last 10 games… the Sea Dogs remain unbeaten on home ice this year with a perfect 9-0-0-0 record. They have outscored their opposition at Harbour Station by a margin of 47-19 and are averaging just over five goals per game… this is the second game of a four game homestand for the Dogs… the Sea Dogs’ power play hasn’t been overly fantastic this season despite some star offensive players. They currently have the ninth best power play in the league with a rating of 0.205%... Saint John’s penalty kill has been solid thus far. The team is currently ranked fourth in the league with a rating of 0.840% and lead the league in shorthanded goals for with eight… Jonathan Huberdeau continues to lead the Sea Dogs in scoring with 13 goals and 14 assists for 27 points. He is tied with Zach Phillips for the team goal scoring lead with 13 markers. Huberdeau leads the team in plus/minus with a rating of +24 and penalty minutes with 27… Michael Kirkpatrick is only a single point behind Huberdeau for the team point lead with 26. The 20-year old, who set the franchise goal scoring record last night by recording his 84th career marker, leads the team in assists with 19 – which is just under an assist per-game… Frederic Piche will likely get the call in net today for Saint John. He has an 8-1-0-01 record, a 2.21 goals against average, and a 0.898 save percentage. Jacob DeSerres was hurt in last night’s game and was replaced by Piche to start the third. It isn’t known if DeSerres will be good to go as a backup tonight or if a call-up will have to be made.
THE INJURY BUG HITS
Simon Despres is likely out for tonight’s game because of a hip injury. It doesn’t sound all that serious as Despres is still hoping to play Subway Super Series on Monday. The Telegraph-Journal has more.
Goaltender Jacob DeSerres missed the third period of lasts night game with a groin pull. He played the first 40 minutes of the game but had to be replaced by Frederic Piche at the start of the third frame. His status is unknown.
JERSEY AUCTION
From the Sea Dogs website:
The annual ‘Support our Troops Night’ is this evening at Harbour Station. Fans attending the game are asked to wear red to show support for the Canadian Forces.
There will likely be a pre-game ceremony and video tribute as there has been in years past prior to the game.
ARENA INFO
Venue: Harbour Station
Seating Capacity: 6,297
Year Built: 1993
QMJHL Arena Guide
MEDIA GUIDE
Radio (Sea Dogs): News 88.9 FM
Live Web Feed: Telus
Television: None
Live Blog: Station Nation
Post-Game Coverage: Station Nation, Telegraph-Journal, Le Quotidien
TWITTER
Follow Station Nation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/station_nation for in-game updates, scores, stats, and live coverage during tonight’s game.
AFTER THE BUZZER
The Sea Dogs host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan next Saturday at Harbour Station.
Photo Credits: Francis Vachon, Sea Dogs, Google
WHO: Chicoutimi Sagueneens vs Saint John Sea Dogs
WHEN: Tonight, 7:00 pm
WHERE: Harbour Station
VISITING TEAM: Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Record: 7-10-2-2 (5th in Telus East Division)
Last Game: 6-2 loss at Halifax yesterday
Leading Scorer: Guillaume Asselin (23GP-10-13A-23Pts)
Notes: The Chicoutimi Sagueneens come into tonight’s game with a record of 7-10-2-2 which places them fifth in the Telus Eastern Division and 14th overall in the 18-team Quebec Major Junior Hockey League… Chicoutimi is coming off a 6-2 loss in Halifax against the Mooseheads last night. Emrik Guillemette and Alexandre Roy each scored in the third period for the Sags in the loss. Christopher Gibson stopped 33-of-39 shots to pick up the loss. 50 penalty minutes were handed out among the two teams… the Sags are in the middle of a rather massive road trip through the Maritimes. They kicked it off on Wednesday night in Cape Breton with a 2-0 win over the Screaming Eagles. They then lost last night in Halifax, play at Harbour Station tonight, and end their trip tomorrow afternoon at the KC Irving Regional Centre with a tilt against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan… on the road this season, Chicoutimi is 2-7-1-1 and have been outscored 29-35 along the way. They are 5-3-1-1 at home… 3-5-1-1 in their last 10 games and are coming off a loss… they have been outscored 62-48 this season… Guillaume Asselin leads the Sags in scoring with 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points in 23 games. His 10 goals are a team high with the next highest total being six… Rock Regimbald, the coolest name in the QMJHL, has a team leading 16 assists this season… Alexandre Lavoie is a team best +6 while Alexandre Roy is a worst -11… goaltender Christopher Gibson has played the most minutes for the club this season. He has a record of 7-6-1-1, a goal against average of 2.30, and a save percentage of 0.925%. Their other goaltnender, Robin Gusse, has had his struggles this season. He has an 0-4-1-1 record to go along with a 4.10 GAA and a 0.866 SV%... according to EliteProspects.com, Chicoutimi is the youngest team in the QMJHL with an average age of 17.50 years. EDIT: @QMJHLFights says they are second with an average age of 17.83… the Sags are the 10th heaviest team in the ‘Q’ with an average weight of 80.77 kg… they are the sixth shortest team in the league with an average height of 182.87 cm.
Record: 16-3-0-1 (1st in Maritimes Division)
Last Game: 7-2 win vs Cape Breton yesterday
Leading Scorer: Jonathan Huberdeau (20GP-13G-14A-27Pts)
Notes: The Saint John Sea Dogs enter play today with a 16-3-0-1 record which is good for first in the Maritimes Division and are now one point ahead of the Quebec Remparts for first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. They were ranked sixth in Canada this week in the BMO CHL MasterCard Top 10 Rankings… Saint John is coming off a 7-2 win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles last night at Harbour Station. It was a fairly uneventful tilt that saw the Eagles score first. But the Sea Dogs would have a pretty easy time after the first period. Zach Phillips scored a pair for Saint John while Gabriel Bourret, Stephen MacAulay, Michael Kirkpatrick, Steven Anthony, and Kevin Gagne all scored singles. Goaltender Jacob DeSerres made 13 stops through 40 minutes before leaving because of an apparent groin injury. Frederic Piche stopped all 14 shots he faced in the third period… Saint John has now won six straight games with wins over Halifax, two against Val-d’Or and Rouyn-Noranda, and last night’s victory over Cape Breton… 9-1-0-0 in their last 10 games… the Sea Dogs remain unbeaten on home ice this year with a perfect 9-0-0-0 record. They have outscored their opposition at Harbour Station by a margin of 47-19 and are averaging just over five goals per game… this is the second game of a four game homestand for the Dogs… the Sea Dogs’ power play hasn’t been overly fantastic this season despite some star offensive players. They currently have the ninth best power play in the league with a rating of 0.205%... Saint John’s penalty kill has been solid thus far. The team is currently ranked fourth in the league with a rating of 0.840% and lead the league in shorthanded goals for with eight… Jonathan Huberdeau continues to lead the Sea Dogs in scoring with 13 goals and 14 assists for 27 points. He is tied with Zach Phillips for the team goal scoring lead with 13 markers. Huberdeau leads the team in plus/minus with a rating of +24 and penalty minutes with 27… Michael Kirkpatrick is only a single point behind Huberdeau for the team point lead with 26. The 20-year old, who set the franchise goal scoring record last night by recording his 84th career marker, leads the team in assists with 19 – which is just under an assist per-game… Frederic Piche will likely get the call in net today for Saint John. He has an 8-1-0-01 record, a 2.21 goals against average, and a 0.898 save percentage. Jacob DeSerres was hurt in last night’s game and was replaced by Piche to start the third. It isn’t known if DeSerres will be good to go as a backup tonight or if a call-up will have to be made.
THE INJURY BUG HITS
Simon Despres is likely out for tonight’s game because of a hip injury. It doesn’t sound all that serious as Despres is still hoping to play Subway Super Series on Monday. The Telegraph-Journal has more.
Goaltender Jacob DeSerres missed the third period of lasts night game with a groin pull. He played the first 40 minutes of the game but had to be replaced by Frederic Piche at the start of the third frame. His status is unknown.
JERSEY AUCTION
From the Sea Dogs website:
Four game-worn white jerseys from Saint John's memorable 2009-10 campaign will be available for purchase at tonight's game via silent auction. Fans wishing to make a bid on these one-of-a-kind items should visit Sea Dogs Central (Section S, Harbour Station concourse) prior to the midway mark of the third period. A list of jerseys available this evening can be found below:TROOPS NIGHT
Jonathan Huberdeau #11
Michael Kirkpatrick #10
Nick Pard #14
Zack Phillips #51
The annual ‘Support our Troops Night’ is this evening at Harbour Station. Fans attending the game are asked to wear red to show support for the Canadian Forces.
There will likely be a pre-game ceremony and video tribute as there has been in years past prior to the game.
ARENA INFO
Venue: Harbour Station
Seating Capacity: 6,297
Year Built: 1993
QMJHL Arena Guide
MEDIA GUIDE
Radio (Sea Dogs): News 88.9 FM
Live Web Feed: Telus
Television: None
Live Blog: Station Nation
Post-Game Coverage: Station Nation, Telegraph-Journal, Le Quotidien
Follow Station Nation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/station_nation for in-game updates, scores, stats, and live coverage during tonight’s game.
AFTER THE BUZZER
The Sea Dogs host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan next Saturday at Harbour Station.
Photo Credits: Francis Vachon, Sea Dogs, Google
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