WARD SENDS MESSAGE AS DOGS WIN

Sydney, N.S. - There is something about Centre 200 that Nathan Beaulieu seems to like. The second year defenseman had a goal and an assist, including the game winner, to help Saint John to a 5-2 victory over the Screaming Eagles. Beaulieu also scored the game winner in the Sea Dogs 4-3 victory in Cape Breton on September 13.

Also scoring for Saint John was Olivier Oullet, Steven Anthony, Nicholas Petersen, and Tomas Jurco.

Scoring for the home side was Victor Hertzberg and Nick MacNeil.

Stephen Horyl took a penalty at 2:07 of the first period. The penalty gave Saint John several scoring chances but all were stopped by Eagles net minder Olivier Roy.

Steven Anthony opened the scoring at 9:27 when he beat Roy over the glove hand to make it 1-0. The goal came one second after an Eagles penalty ended.

Following the goal Zach Phillips made a great dangle around the Eagles defense but was stopped by Roy. That was followed by Jonathan Huberdeau feeding Stephen McAuley who could not shoot it through Roy’s pads. That play led to a Cape Breton hooking penalty.

With the Sea Dogs on the power play Olivier Oullet scored at 12:29 to give Saint John a 2-0 lead. The goal came off of a beautiful spin move by Stanislav Galiev around Eagles defenseman Mathieu Brodeur. Galiev then fed a pass across the goal line to Oullet who flipped it into the empty cage.

Shots were 17-11 in favour of Saint John after one period.

Oullet almost opened the second period scoring after sending a shot straight through the goal crease.

Marc-Antoine Gelinas got the start in goal for Saint John and became the first goalie this season to start back-to-back games for the Sea Dogs. He got his first real challenge a few minutes into the second as he reached behind him to stop the puck from squeaking through his pads. The goal went under review and was deemed no goal. News 88.9'sTim Roszell said of the review “Nick MacNeil and Luke Adam must have been debating champions at their high schools,” referring to the questionable review.

Nathan Beaulieu made it 3-0 when he put his entire body into a shot that beat Olivier Roy just inside the left post. The goal at 5:25, assisted by Michael Kirkpatrick and Steven Anthony, was his third of the season and second at Centre 200.

Viktor Hertzberg cut the lead to two when he scored on the following shift. Assists went to Adam and MacNeil.

Cape Breton gained momentum following the goal and made it a one goal game. MacNeil finished off a three-on-two for the Eagles at 10:07. The goal came after a bad line change for the Sea Dogs.

Marc Bourgeois had a great chance to tie the game when he went forehand to backhand on Gelinas but it sent it high. Michal Stinziani had two great chances to finish off the second period.

Bourgeois had another great chance to tie the game but was gain denied again by Gelinas to open the third period.

Simon Despres leveled Buffalo Sabers prospect Luke Adam next to the Saint John bench with both players feeling the blow. After the whistle, Despres gave a short pass to Stephen MacAuley who then gave a short pass to Tomas Jurco who made it 4-2 Saint John.

After Nicholas Petersen blocked a shot he found an opening to the right of Roy and gave Saint John back their three goal lead. The goal at 7:37 was Petersen’s fourth in three contests.

Bourgeois finished off the “I almost had a goal” hat trick after being denied by Gelinas yet again. He slammed his stick on the ice in frustration. Gelinas stopped 30 of 32 shots faced on the night.

Olivier Roy did not fare as well, stopping 37 of 42 shots. He continues to struggle this season and will try to break the Eagles all-time win record tomorrow.

As the horn blew to end the game, New Brunswick native Michael Ward completely layed out Tomas Jurco, setting the tone for tomorrow’s game. McAuley and Beaulieu challenged Ward but the officials got in the way.

Do not forget Mr. Ward, Mike Thomas returns to the Sea Dogs line-up tomorrow.

NOTES: The attendance was 3,670… Olivier Roy really struggled in net for Cape Breton. He somehow earned second star honors… the Dogs continue to improve their penalty kill, keeping Cape Breton to one goal on five chances… Mike Hoffman skated today and could play before October 17… Marc-Antoine Gelinas sported his new pads that he got earlier this week. He has been wearing the purple pads he wore in Gatineau… a deflected shot that went into the Saint John bench hit athletic therapist Jeff Kelly and equipment manager David Kelly… Ward’s hit sent the message for tomorrow’s game at Centre 200… Mike Thomas returns tomorrow after serving a six game suspension. He has only played a half period of hockey since returning from Flyers training camp.

NEXT GAME: Saint John Sea Dogs vs Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Sunday, October 11 at 4:00 pm at Centre 200, Sydney, N.S.