SEA DOGS POST-GAME NOTEBOOK

SEA DOGS – TIGRES GAME AT A GLANCE
Final Score: Saint John 6, Victoriaville 1
Saint John Goals: Michael Kirkpatrick (10), Nicholas Pard (4, 5), Mike Hoffman (6), Stanislav Galiev (7), Chuckie Schembri (1)
Victoriaville Goals: Emmanuel Boudreau (1)
Winning Goaltender: SJ – Marco Cousineau (11-2-0)
Losing Goaltender: VIC – Kevin Poulin (9-5-0)

THE NUMBERS
Power Play: Tigres: 1/5, Sea Dogs: 1/3
Shots on Goal: Tigres: 16+12+12=40, Sea Dogs: 8+12+13=33
Attendance: 2,724

SAINT JOHN SCRATCHES
Steven Anthony was out once again with a groin injury. He was replaced by Will Johnston.

Kevin Gagne missed another tilt with a knee injury and did not make the trip to Victoriaville. He was replaced by Gabriel Bourret on the backend.

Mike Thomas served his one game suspension after receiving a charging penalty in game three on Tuesday. Chuckie Schembri took his spot.

Tyrone Sock did not make the trip and Aiden Kelly was a healthy scratch.

ONE WIN AWAY
The Saint John Sea Dogs are in the drivers seat of their semi-final series following a dominating performance.

Head coach Gerard Gallant still feels that there is room for improvement entering game five tonight, though.

“We capitalized on our chances and we shot more pucks, but we still didn’t play a great game,” said Gallant to the Telegraph-Journal.

“I thought we did some good things. We put more pucks to the net and that’s the key. There were some rebound goals and our team is good when we get pucks to the net. When we try to get too cute, it’s not good.”

The Sea Dogs defeated the Victoriaville Tigres 6-1 to take a commanding 3-1 series lead in the best-of-seven semi-final affair.

Saint John jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first period, just as the Tigres did in game three on Tuesday.

The Sea Dogs did not let up despite some furious pressure by the home team to get back into the game. Saint John scored two more times to lead 4-0 after 40 minutes.

Shortly after Nicholas Pard scored his second of the game in the third, the Tigres got on the board via a point shot on the power play. But it was too late for any kind of comeback. Chuckie Schembri added the sixth goal with less than two minutes remaining.

Victoriaville still managed to outshoot Saint John 40-33.

COUZY, COUZY, AND MORE COUZY
Marco Cousineau is showing why he is so good in the playoffs.

The 20-year old veteran was magnificent in net, stopping 39 of 40 shots and earning first star honors.

“We started out real well and we had a 2-0 lead, but we gave up a lot of chances after that and Couzy stood on his head,” said Gallant of his net minder who picked up his 11th playoff win of the year.

“Marco kept us in the game,’’ said Nicholas Pard. “He played a great game. We just took advantage of our chances.”

Cousineau didn’t have to make many huge saves, but he kept the puck out of net when Victoriaville’s sticks were firing pucks at rapid fire.

HOFFMAN SHATTERS GLASS…
With 12.5 seconds remaining in the first period and the Sea Dogs on the power play, Mike Hoffman ripped a point shot that grazed over Kevin Poulin in the Tigres goal. The puck nailed the back glass, shattering the sheet into pieces.

The glass did what it was designed to do though, staying in tact with the exception of the top half that tumbled forward.

The team’s headed to the dressing room after that as the glass was replaced during intermission. 11 seconds were added on to the clock to start the second. The horn blew when the brief amount of time ended, forcing the official second period faceoff to take place at center ice.
… PARD SHATTERS DREAMS
It was a big night Nicholas Pard. The 19-year scored a pair of goals – including the game winner off a faceoff – last night at Colisee Desjardins.

Pard finished the night with the two goals on only three shots and had a plus-two rating.

Shout out to J4M13M on Twitter for the title idea.

TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Last night’s Tweet of the night comes from Disastromatic, who is suffering from Toronto Maple Leafs withdrawal.

Man I wish I were more involved in the local #QMJHL scene. Woulb be better than pimping electronics on the West Side.

SCHEMBRI CAN PLAY
With Mike Thomas suspended for hurting the Tigres’ feelings, Chuckie Schembri got a chance to make an impression on the Sea Dogs brass.

He did, scoring on a breakaway late in the game to make it a 6-1 final. The 19-year old tough guy finished the night with two shots and was a plus-one.

KIRKY LEADING THE WAY
Michael Kirkpatrick is rewriting the Sea Dogs playoff record this post-season.

“Michael Kirkpatrick has broken Keven Charland's team record for the fastest goal to start a playoff game; centre scored 1:51 into the first,” reports the Sea Dogs’ Twitter page.

“'Kirky' is now tied with Scott Howes for the all-time Sea Dogs franchise post-season goals record (15) as well.”

More importantly, Kirkpatrick leads the Sea Dogs – and the league - in scoring with 23 points and is tied with Jonathan Huberdeau for the most goals on the team with 10.

REPUBLIC OF DOYLE
Chris Doyle may have been wishing he was in jail last night. The New York Rangers draft pick was on the ice for five Sea Dogs goals, finishing the night at a minus-five. He did, however, have four shots.

SOMETHING TO GET ALL UPSET OVER
Rogers Sportsnet’s "HockeyCentral" showed last night’s Canadian Hockey League highlights and scores on their midnight AST broadcast. Sportsnet, who still thinks the Maritimes are British colonies, did not show or mention either of the QMJHL games from last night. The OHL and WHL were both represented.

THE WILDCATS AWAIT
The Moncton Wildcats advanced to the Presidents Cup Final last night in Drummondville after a 4-2 win over the Voltigeurs. The ‘Cats won the series 4-1.

Star Wildcat forward Nicolas Deschamps was involved in a knee-on-knee collision. News 91.9’s
Shaun Mackenzie tells us “he’ll be fine.”

With the loss, Chris DiDomenico’s junior hockey career ended. The 20-year old Toronto Maple Leafs prospect finishes his career with 109 goals and 217 assists in 246 regular season and playoff games.

HIGHLIGHTS
Highlights from last night’s game can be found by clicking HERE.

QUICK HITS
There were a ton of Sea Dogs fans sitting behind the Saint John bench… last night was the two-year anniversary of Saint John’s 2008 semi-final loss at the hands of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies… former Tigre Pierre-Luc Sleigher performed the ceremonial puck drop… Mike Hoffman wore the captain’s ‘C’ with Mike Thomas out. It was the ninth time this year he has worn the letter… Tim Roszell said during his broadcast last night that both Benjamin Lecomte and Keven Charland were at Colisee Desjardins for game three… Travis McIsaac received a major penalty and game misconduct for slew footing Stephen MacAulay in the first period… speaking of Roszell, he was uncharacteristlly upset over the Thomas suspension. The usually tame broadcaster went a small and solid rant yesterday on News 88.9/News 91.9’s “The Drive”… La Nouvelle/L’Union says that Olivier Jannard may have suffered an ankle injury last night.