SEA DOGS POST-GAME NOTEBOOK

MOOSEHEADS – SEA DOGS GAME AT A GLANCE
Final Score: Halifax 4, Saint John 2
Saint John Goals: Nicholas Petersen (21), and Stephen MacAulay (4)
Halifax Goals: Pascal Amyot (5), Charles Bety (10), Jessyko Bernard (5), and Carl Gelinas (10)
Winning Goaltender: HAL – Corbeil, Mathieu (8-19-0)
Losing Goaltender: SNB – Gelinas, Marc-Antoine (20-5-0)
News 88.9 Top Dog: Yann Sauve

THE NUMBERS
Power Play: Mooseheads 2/3, Sea Dogs 1/6
Shots on Goal: Mooseheads: 9+4+11=24, Sea Dogs: 14+15+6=35
Attendance: 3,806

SCRATCHES
Halifax scratched Tomas Knotek (world junior), Konrad Abeltshauser (Pool B world junior), Garrett Clarke (groin), and Steve Gillard (bruised quad).

Saint John scratched Gabriel Bourret (healthy) and Olivier Ouellet (not with team).

WORST BEATS FIRST
Last night’s game was the definition of a major upset. Halifax, last overall in the QMJHL, defeated Saint John, the number two team in the country, 4-2 at Harbour Station.

“I won’t lie, it feels good to beat a team like that,” said Mooseheads head coach Cam Russell to Metro Halifax. “They’re a team with a lot of skill and ability. We had a lot of penalties to kill off and Corbeil was strong when we needed him.”

"Another routine win," joked Russell to the Chronicle Herald. "But no, that was probably the hardest they played against us all year but I think we match up pretty well against them. We played them physical and killed off some key penalties. I think we had five penalties in the second period against us and we killed off four of them.”

DIFFICULT VICTORY FROM THE BEGINNING
As if the Mooseheads didn't have anything else to brag about in last night’s win. Halifax was missing top scorer Tomas Knotek (world juniors) and three of their top defencemen — Konrad Abeltshauser (world juniors), Steve Gillard (charley horse) and Garrett Clarke (groin).

Because of all the missing players, 16-year-olds Jamie Bishop and Trey Lewis had to step up into key roles. Bishop, a call-up from the Saint John Vito’s, played big minutes on the penalty kill and power play. He also assisted on the games winning goal.

"Bishop and Lewis weren’t being spot shifted, we rolled through our six defencemen," Russell said. "They were both very good. You’ve got to give guys opportunities and let them decide what their fate’s going to be. We put them in lots of different situations and they didn’t look out of place at all and that’s against the second-best team in Canada. That’s a pretty big compliment to those guys."

"I went into the game nervous and as it went on, I just got more and more comfortable,'' Bishop said to the Telegraph-Journal."I'm just really excited (about the win).''

THE WOW FACTOR
Mathieu Corbeil - talk about your game breaker. The Moose would have lost this game if it was not for the sensational play of the 18-year-old net minder. He stood on his, his side, his back, and appeared to be floating in the crease at times.

"There were times in the game when we got pretty scrambly but Corbeil was there for us. He was solid and bailed us out," Russell said.

“Mathieu Corbeil played a great game,” said Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant in the Telegraph-Journal. “But that's no excuse for the way most of our guys showed up to play.”

Corbeil stopped 33 of 35 shots on the night.

FRUSTRATING DEFEAT
"After the last game (Sunday's 7-3 setback in Moncton), I think they were ready for their Christmas break and they started a little early,'' Gallant said. "We have to get away from playing one or two periods a game. We've had too many games in a row where we haven't had a complete effort for 60 minutes, and that has to change.”

Gallant’s comments echo fans feelings. The real Saint John Sea Dogs hockey team did not show up last night. They were losing 2-0 after a slow first period. A bounce back second frame tied the game but went on cruise control after that.

"We're relying on our top guys too much and they're trying to carry us, and some other guys are sulking instead of playing hard. We shouldn't lose a game like this at home.''

PRE-GAME STUFF
Before the game, Sea Dogs defenseman Yann Sauve was named Student of the Month for November after achieving a B-plus grade in his kinesiology course at the University of New Brunswick Saint John.

Ottawa Senators prospect Mike Hoffman was named Irving Player of the Month for November.

SEADOGSTV HIGHLIGHTS


JOHN MOORE WITH MATHIEU CORBEIL


NOTES
Trey Lewis played in his first career game… Jamie Bishop played in just his second game and got his first point in the QMJHL… the Sea Dogs’ third and fourth lines were by far the best last evening. The lines are filled with grinders and rookies… Halifax won only their second road game of the season… Saint John dropped their third home game of the season… Saint John was terrible on special teams last night, going 1/6 on the power play and 2/3 on the penalty kill. "Dumb penalties cost us the game,” said Gerard Gallant. “We get back in the game (with two second-period goals) and then we take a couple of dumb penalties in the third period to open the door. It's just laziness and selfish play by some guys.”… former Sea Dog Pascal Amyot had a goal.
NEXT GAME
Saint John Sea Dogs vs Halifax Mooseheads. Friday, December 18, 2009 at 7:00 pm at Halifax Metro Centre.

Moose fans are reminded tonight is the Teddy Bear Toss game when the Mooseheads host the first place Saint John Sea Dogs at 7pm. Fans are encouraged to bring a stuffed bear to the game to throw on the ice after the Mooseheads first goal in support of Ronald McDonald House.