TOP LINE BLASTS BY ROCKET

STATION NATION POST-GAME
Saint John – Mike Hoffman put on an encore performance on Sunday afternoon at Harbour Station. Hoffman scored two goals and had a team high nine shots in the Sea Dogs 5-2 win over the PEI Rocket.

For Saint John, this was their first win in two previous attempts over the Rocket. Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant called the two loses “embarrising,” in the Telegraph-Journal.

Scoring for the Dogs were Hoffman, Stanislav Galiev, Michael Kirkpatrick, and Steven Anthony.

PEI replied those goals with single markers from Brandon Street and Benjamin Cassavant.

The scoring began with Nicholas Petersen in the box. Marc-Antoine Gelinas stopped the initial shot but Brandon Street pushed the puck through a mad scramble to make it 1-0. The goal came at 4:28 with assists going to Toronto prospect Joel Champagne and Louis-Philippe Lacroix.

Marco Cousineau, who already has two wins against Saint John this season, shut the door on Petersen in close. Gelinas was equally as good in the other end in the first period.

Benjamin Casavant had a great chance on a wide open cage on the left side but missed the net.

Mike Thomas took a questionable penalty along the boards at 15:56 and was called for elbowing. The crowd at Harbour Station booed the officials following the call.

Saint John outshot PEI 13-11 in the first 20 minutes. The Rocket went 1/2 on the power play.

The Sea Dogs had a two man advantage with several terrific scoring chances but could not send one home. Head coach Gerard Gallant played five forwards with Nicholas Petersen, Mike Hoffman, Michael Kirkpatrick, Steven Anthony, and Stanislav Galiev all on the same power play unit.

Saint John finally beat Cousineau at 7:52 of the second period on that same power play. Mike Hoffman scored his second goal of the season to tie the game. The left winger beat the Rocket goaltender clean on the open side to tie the game 1-1.

After a horrible line changed by the Rocket, Nicholas Petersen went in alone but was robbed by Cousineau.

Mike Thomas and Brandon Wright decided to have a rematch of their fight that took place last Tuesday in Charlottetown. Both players through their gloves and were ready to go until both linesmen stepped in to stop the round of fisticuffs. The linesmen, John MacDonnell and Justin Burchill, had to have gone deaf following the round of boos.

Benjamin Cassavant put PEI in front again at 16:29. The Washington Capitals prospect picked up a rebound to the left of Gelinas and shot it home to make it 2-1 PEI. Assists went to import Adam Polasek and Joel Champagne. Telegraph-Journal reporter Andrew McGilligan said on News 88.9 that the Dogs “need to have more net presence to keep those out.”

Just when it looked like the Rocket would be up a goal going into the intermission, Hoffman stepped up to score his second of the game. Hoffman finished off a tick-tack-toe with Petersen and Galiev at 17:44. The Senators prospect went forehand to backhand to beat Cousineau and tie the game 2-2.

Shots were 16-8 in favour of Saint John in the second period.

PEI came out of the gate firing with no better chances than Chris Doyle’s. The New York Rangers prospect fired a shot from long range that went off one post and out the other side.

Stanislav Galiev gave Saint John their first lead of the game at 2:37 on the power play. Galiev tried to give a cross crease pass to his line mate but Rocket defensman Adam Polasek got down to block the pass and deflected in.

Then at 11:07 Michael Kirkpatrick scored to give Saint John a 4-2 lead. Kirkpatrick went in on a three-on-one with Anthony and Nicholas Pard but could not get a good shot away. Kirkpatrick found the puck behind the net and banked it off Cousineau to give the Dogs a two goal lead.

With Simon Despres in the box, it was Saint John taking advantage. Steven Anthony stole the puck from a fallen Rocket defenseman and scored on a partial breakaway at 15:55. The goal made it 5-2 and put this game away.

Marc-Antoine Gelinas had another strong start stopping 25 of 27 shots. He improves to 7-3-0 on the season.

Marco Cousineau fell to 4-6-0 and is now 2-1-0 when facing Saint John. He stopped 41 of 46 shots on the evening.

With the win Saint John improves to 10-4-1-0 and leap frogs Moncton for first place in the Atlantic division. The Rocket fell to 8-6-0-2 and stay in third place in the six team division.

NOTES: The attendance was 2,834… this win is a relief for the Sea Dogs who were 0-2-0-0 against PEI this season and were outscored 10-1 in those two games… Saint John went 2/8 on the power play and also had a shorthanded goal. PEI went 2/6 on the extra man advantage… this is Hoffman’s third goal in two games. He has now played in four games… the Thomas/Wright fight that was broken up never amounted to anything following the attempted fisticuffs… Kirkpatrick’s goal is sure to be a confidence booster as he has been struggling to find the back of the net after a break out 2008-09 campaign… the line of Petersen-Galiev-Hoffman has the potential to be the best in the QMJHL. They were outstanding all night. The second line of Anthony-Kirkpatrick-Pard also had a strong game… Despres’ delay of game penalty was questionable but turned out to be a blessing with Anthony scoring shorthanded… another light crowd on a Sunday afternoon. The Sea Dogs must step up their marketing for Sunday match-ups with nine games remaining.

NEXT GAME: Saint John Sea Dogs vs Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 7:00 pm at K.C. Irving Regional Centre, Bathurst, N.B.