ALL TIED UP

STATION NATION RECAP
FINAL/OT: Sea Dogs 3, Wildcats 2

MONCTON – Nicholas Petersen knows what playoff defeat feels like.

The Saint John Sea Dogs 20-year old played a pivotal role in helping the Shawinigan Cataractes make it to the President’s Cup Final last season. But Petersen and the Cats fell in seven games to the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

This season, Petersen I doesn’t want that to happen.

At 12:43 of the first overtime session, Petersen beat Moncton net minder Nicola Riopel with a quick wrist shot to end the game and win Game Four 3-2. The victory evens the QMJHL Final at 2-2.

"That was one of the most exciting games I've ever been a part of,” said Yann Sauve to the Sea Dogs’ twitter page. “This is a whole new series now."

Sauve and Michael Kirkpatrick scored the Sea Dogs in regulation, who had 34 shots on goal to Moncton’s 44.

Marek Hrivik and Cole MacMillan scored for the Wildcats.

Lost in the excitement of the overtime goal was the sensational goaltending performance by Marco Cousineau in the Saint John crease. Cousineau was simply sick in goal. The 20-year was unbelievable and allowed the Sea Dogs to win after the ‘Cats took over the game in the third period.

Taking a 2-1 lead into the final frame, Moncton turned on the gas to tie the game – and almost win the game on several occasions. But Cousineau was there, backing up his team and giving them a chance to win – which they did.

Moncton went 1/6 on the power play while Saint John went 0/3.

Saint John opened the scoring just 47 seconds into the game. Sauve wired a long point shot through traffic that beat Riopel high over the blocker to make it 1-0 Saint John.

After Zach Phillips hit the post on a power play opportunity, Danick Gauthier was robbed on the door step by the glove of Riopel.

Moncton could not get anything going in the period, failing to finish off any solid scoring opportunites.

The physical play heated up in the second, with both teams registering some big league hits.

Pierre Durepos headed to the box at 15:33 for interference. But on a Moncton turnover, Michael Kirkpatrick jammed in a puck to give Saint John a 2-1 lead thanks to his shorthanded marker. The goal went under review but was ruled to be a legal play.

But on the same power play at 17:17, Hrivik accepted a pass from behind the net and beat Cousineau with a quick release. The goal just beat the Saint John net minder between the pad and post to make it a one goal game again.

Moncton finally got their legs in the third period and tied the game at 2:40. MacMillan beat Cousineau five-hole on a wrist shot to vaporize the Saint John lead.

Moncton had some excellent pressure throughout the third. The Sea Dogs managed to kill off a two-man man advantage for the ‘Cats, mostly thanks to an incredible diving blocker save by Cousineau.

Despite some incredible back-and-forth action in the final minutes, the game headed to overtime.

After a few tense few moments, Sauve was stopped on an innocent looking wrist shot. But the puck squirted to Petersen who one-timed the disc low and past Riopel to send hundreds of Sea Dogs fans at the Moncton Coliseum in delirium.

NEXT GAME: Game five is tomorrow night at 7:00 pm at Harbour Station. If you are willing to sell your soul, you may be able to get a ticket.