SEA DOGS DOWN EAGLES

STATION NATION POST-GAME
FINAL: Screaming Eagles 2, Sea Dogs 3

PRESS RELEASE
SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs captured their seventh straight win on Friday night, besting the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles by a score of 3-2 in front of 4,515 fans at Harbour Station.

Saint John scored short-handed, with the man-advantage, and at even-strength in Friday’s hard-fought victory, with sophomore defenseman Kevin Gagné registering a team-high two points (0G-2A) on the evening. Zack Phillips, Mike Hoffman, and Nicholas Pard all tallied markers for the home team, while Nick MacNeil and Luke Adam replied for the visitors.

Veteran goaltender Marco Cousineau turned in a solid 30-save performance for Saint John on Friday, resultantly picking up his 20th win of the year. The Anaheim Ducks prospect is now 7-0 with a 1.95 G.A.A. since switching his uniform number from 31 to 79 late last month. At the other end of the ice, star 18-year old net minder Olivier Roy suffered his 47th career defeat after surrendering three goals on 28 shots faced.

The lone goal of period number one came off the stick of superstar sniper Mike Hoffman. During a man-down situation, the Ottawa Senators prospect carried the puck into the visitors’ zone with tremendous aplomb prior to blasting a slap shot past Roy’s glove hand to record the 36th goal of his overage campaign.

Cape Breton pulled even midway through the second period when a net-charging Nick MacNeil jammed home his 26th marker of the year during a 5-on-3 power play. Nicholas Pard restored the hosts’ one-goal lead a few minutes later, taking a pass from Kevin Gagné in the neutral zone and charging into Screaming Eagles territory with a turbo-charged burst of speed. The 19-year old winger then ripped a wrist shot to the back of Cape Breton’s net, picking up the 13th offensive strike of his season in the process.

Rookie forward Zack Phillips doubled Saint John’s lead at the 18:20 mark of the middle frame, pouncing on a rebound produced by a Yann Sauvé blast and beating Roy from the lower slot with a well-placed shot to improve his 2009-10 goals total to ten.

The Screaming Eagles’ deficit was reduced to one by Buffalo Sabres prospect Luke Adam, who buried his league-best 39th goal of the year at the 18:51 mark of the third period to make things interesting in the late-going. Saint John’s stellar defensive core was able to hold off Cape Breton’s attack for the final 1:09 of regulation however, as the Port City’s major junior squad ultimately took the decision by a final score of 3-2.

SEA DOGS – SCREAMING EAGLES GAME AT A GLANCE
Final Score: Cape Breton 2, Saint John 3
Saint John Goals: Mike Hoffman (36), Nicholas Pard (13), and Zack Phillips (10)
Cape Breton Goals: Nick McNeil (26)
Winning Goaltender: SNB – Cousineau, Marco (20-15-0)
Losing Goaltender: CAP – Roy, Olivier (24-19-0)

THE NUMBERS
Power Play: Screaming Eagles 2/6, Sea Dogs 1/4
Shots on Goal: Screaming Eagles: 9+10+13=32, Sea Dogs: 11+9+8=28
Attendance: 4,515

SAINT JOHN SCRATCHES
Nathan Beaulieu missed his first game of the season with an ankle injury that he suffered on Wednesday after blocking a shot. Stephen MacAulay missed the game because of the death of his grandmother.

SEADOGSTV HIGHLIGHTS


NEXT GAME
These two teams will meet again on Sunday afternoon at Harbour Station. The puck drops at 4pm as the Sea Dogs look to remain perfect in February and pick up their eighth consecutive victory at the expense of their Atlantic Division adversaries. Tickets to this match can be obtained by calling the arena box office at (506) 657-1234 or by visiting http://www.tickets.harbourstation.ca/.