ROCKET FINISHED OFF BY SEA DOGS

STATION NATION RECAP
FINAL: Rocket 2, Sea Dogs 7

SAINT JOHN – Jonathan Huberdeau ended the PEI Rocket’s playoff hopes.

The Saint John Sea Dogs rookie forward scored a hat trick in a 7-2 win over the Rocket at Harbour Station on Friday night. The win awarded Saint John a 4-1 series win in the opening round showdown, dismissing the Rocket from the first round yet again.

Mike Thomas had two goals in the game while singles came from Danick Gauthier and Stanislav Galiev. PEI goals came from Benjamin Casavant and Jonathan Bonneau.

It was easily the best game played by Saint John in the abbreviated best-of-seven matchup. The Sea Dogs finally played a full 60-minute game, something that has plagued the team over the past month.

Marco Cousineau was sensational in net, making some great saves with the pads when it mattered most. Rocket net minder Evan Mosher also played a strong game just like he has all series. But finally fell victim to the wicked skill possessed by the Dogs.

Zach Phillips had the first chance early in the game. The Fredericton boy skated around the crease and came out in front where he released a wide range backhand shot that somehow stayed out.

Saint John quickly made it 1-0 at 3:37. Nicholas Petersen made several nice moves to get around the Rocket defense. His moves got Mosher to commit in the Rocket crease, allowing Huberdeau to easily beat the PEI goalie after accepting a pass in close.

Petersen was sent to the box at 3:57 after a scrum in the Rocket crease. But Saint John had the best chance as captain Thomas unleashed a wrist shot that was stopped by Mosher. But the puck squirted free and almost crossed the line before Mosher got the paddle down to sweep away the puck.

Samson Mahbod got called for holding at 4:17. After Mosher was hit square in the head by a point shot, Cousineau robbed Mahbod who came out of the box and fired a one timer into the pads of the former PEI goaltender.

Thomas let another shot go that was stopped soon after, with Phillips denied by Mosher’s pad on the rebound.

The Sea Dogs made it 2-0 at 16:55 when Petersen made a beautiful cross ice pass to a streaking Galiev who had a wide open cage.

Shots in the first frame were 19-5 Saint John.

Prior to Jordan Southorn standing up Galiev at the blue line, Josh Currie was stoned by Cousineau at the side of the goal with the pad. Then Simon Despres fired a point shot through traffic that found its way dinging off the post.

PEI got back in the game at 7:06 when Jean-Philippe Mathieu set up Casavant. The Rocket captain made a pass from along the boards to the streaking Washington Capitals prospect to make it a 2-1 game.

Nathan Beaulieu went to the box at 8:47. Thomas made a great play while playing with a man down, sending a cross crease pass to Mike Hoffman who could smell a goal. But Mosher got the glove up to take away the marker from the Sea Dogs’ regular season goal leader.

When the power play ended for the Rocket, Derek Famulare hit Kevin Gagne in front of the net. Gagne left the game momentarily and did not play again.

Huberdeau got his second of the game at 13:59 from a pass from along the boards to make it a 3-1 game.

Not long after at 14:52, Thomas was left alone in the slot and took a pass from the corner. He wired a shot over Mosher’s glove to make it a 4-1 Saint John lead.

Brendan Wright headed off for two minutes in the sin bin at 15:45. The best chance on the man advantage came when Petersen broke loose on a breakaway but was stopped by the blocker of Mosher.

Shots in the middle stanza were 11-10 Saint John.

With PEI’s season on the line and down by three, Petersen headed off to serve a four minute high sticking penalty at 5:02. But the Rocket just could not get by the Sea Dogs’ penalty killing performance to get back in the game.

Stephen Macaulay made an unreal play in front following the penalties expiration. The Nova Scotian was left alone in close with the puck and managed to get a solid backhand shot off while falling on to his backside.

Gauthier scored at 14:05 to put the game out of reach and give the Dogs a 5-1 lead. Gauther went coast-to-coast and made some great moves to break in. He then went backhand-to-forehand to finish off a beautiful play.

With Huberdeau in the box for slashing at 14:22, Bonneau banged in a rebound to make it a 5-2 game.

But Saint John got the goal right back. Yann Sauve fired a point shot that was tipped by Huberdeau for his third of the game.

Then on the power play at 18:07, Nathan Beaulieu fired a point shot that somehow hit a fallen Thomas in front and deflected over Mosher and in. That put in a fork in the Rocket as they fell 7-2 on this night.

Shots in the third period were 14-11 for the visitors.