SEA DOGS POST-GAME NOTEBOOK

SEA DOGS - ROCKET GAME AT A GLANCE
Final Score: Saint John 4, PEI 1
Saint John Goals: Mike Hoffman (21), Nicholas Petersen (19), Nicholas Pard (9), and Stephen MacAulay (3)
PEI Goals: Adam Polasek (5)
Winning Goaltender: SNB – Gelinas, Marc-Antoine (20-3-0)
Losing Goaltender: PEI – Cousineau, Marco (9-12-0)
News 88.9 Top Dog: Marc-Antoine Gelinas

THE NUMBERS
Power Play: Saint John 1/5, PEI 1/4
Shots on Goal: Saint John – 9+20+20=49, PEI – 10+6+12=28
Attendance: 2,052
50/50 Winnings: $1,314

STARTING LINEUPS
Saint John - Forwards
Galiev-Hoffman-Peterson
Anthony-Kirkpatrick-Pard
MacAulay-Gauthier-Thomas
Huberdeau-Philips-Jurco

Defence
Sauvé-Beaulieu
Després-Durepos
Gagné-Lecomte

Goalies
Gélinas-St-Laurent

P.E.I. - Forwards
Doyle-Escott-Struthers
Casavant-Champagne-Mahbod
Janneteau-Street-Wright
Bouchard-Duffy-Currie

Defence
Southorn-Mathieu
Polasek-Hobbs
Oligny-Guay

Goalies
Cousineau-Mosher

SCRATCHES
Saint John scratches were Gabriel Bourret and Olivier Ouellet.

P.E.I. scratched Vincent Richer, Brandon Maclean (foot), Louis-Philippe Lacroix (wrist), and Cody Linteau. Richer is the younger brother of former Sea Dog Phillip Richer.

IT WAS AN ADVENTURE
What a journey this one turned out to be. The game was originally scheduled start at 7:00 pm, then 7:30, then 7:45. Finally, at 7:50, we had puck drop.

You can blame the Confederation Bridge for their troubles as the bridge was closed all day to high sided vehicles due to nasty winds. The Sea Dogs were forced to take vans across the bridge and then on to the Civic Centre.

The Rocket released a press release saying that they had made the arrangements to get the Dogs to the game and would start at 7:00. But there were some delays and forced the game to start at 7:30. Then another delay pushed it ahead to 7:45. A pre-game ceremony caused the game to start at 7:50.

News 88.9’s Tim Roszell came on air at 7:30 to sort things out and then left again. The pre-game show got the very rare 7:40 pm start.

IT COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT
The "TSN Turning Point" of this game was no doubt in the first period. Jordan Escott had a wide open net with Marc-Antoine Gelinas in no position what so ever to make the save. His shot rang off the crossbar, sending the Civic Centre into instant groaning.

“(Chris) Doyle made a nice pass and I went under the puck. I should have tapped it in. I lost the game,” said a dejected Escott to The Guardian. “If we had (hit) on our chances it would have been a different game. It’s 2-0.”

It would remain 1-0 until the second period, where Nicholas Pard tied the game and Mike Hoffman eventually scored the winning goal.

THE STREAK
Ah yes, the streak. How could we forget? The Sea Dogs 21 game run is third all-time in the QMJHL and are getting closer to tying the 1973-74 Sorel Éperievrs mark of 25.

With a win in Bathurst tonight, Saint John can tie the Estevan Bruins for third all-time in the Canadian Hockey League.

KEEP YOU COOL
Jonathan Langille was the lone referee last night much to the dislike of Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant. Langillie was the official Gallant flipped out at when he refused to blow the whistle on Sunday when Kevin Gagne was hurt on the ice. The Maineiacs skated around Gagne and scored.

Last night it was Rocket coach Eric Lavigne’s turn. He took a bench minor in the third period after Jordan Southorn took a questionable hooking penalty.

QUICK HITS
Mike Hoffman now leads the league in game winning goals with eight… Tim Roszell did calrify on air that Director of Hockey Operations Mike Kelly did attend the 1983-84 UNB Red Devils reunion last weekend. He also scouted in Montreal… Kevin Gagne returned after suffering a bruised knee last Sunday. He assisted on the Sea Dogs’ third goal… after a slow start to the first period, Stanislav Galiev was put on the fourth line with Zack Phillips and Tomas Jurco. Jonathan Huberdeau skated alongside Petersen and Hoffman… the Sea Dogs were expected to travel to Miramichi after the game and stay the night their… Phillips took part in 20 questions during the first and second intermissions on News 88.9. He likes fishing, his billets pre-game meals, and collected hockey cards when he was younger. He did an excellent job when compared to some in past seasons.

CANADIAN PRESS RECAP
The Saint John Sea Dogs are inching closer to history.

Nicholas Petersen and Stephen MacAulay both had a goal and an assist as Saint John handled the P.E.I. Rocket 4-1 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Friday night.

Saint John has now won 21 consecutive games, good for third all-time in QMJHL history.

The 1995-96 Hull Olympiques are second with a 24-game winning streak and the 1973-74 Sorel Eperviers have the longest run at 25.

The Sea Dogs will have chance to extend their record Saturday night when they play the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

At Charlottetown, P.E.I., Nicholas Pard and Mike Hoffman had singles for Saint John (29-4-1).

Adam Polasek was the lone scorer for the Rocket (18-12-3).

OUT OF TOWN
Elsewhere in the QMJHL it was: Moncton 3 Halifax 2; Victoriaville 4 Quebec 3; Drummondville 4 Cape Breton 0; Chicoutimi 3 Shawinigan 2 (SO); Gatineau 3 Rouyn-Noranda 2; Rimouski 5 Val-d'Or 4 (OT); and Montreal 4 Baie-Comeau 1.

NEXT GAME
Saint John Sea Dogs vs Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 7:00 pm at K.C. Irving Regional Centre.