SEA DOGS – WILDCATS GAME AT A GLANCEFinal Score: Moncton 4, Saint John 6
Saint John Goals: Danick Gauthier (6), Nicholas Petersen (6), Michael Kirkpatrick (11, 12), and Mike Hoffman (10, 11)
Moncton Goals: Gabriel Bourque (17, 18), and Randy Cameron (11, 12)
Winning Goaltender: SJ – Marco Cousineau (13-5)
Losing Goaltender: MON – Shane Owen (0-1)
New 88.9 Top Dog: Stephen MacAulay and Marco Cousineau
THE NUMBERS
Power Play: Wildcats: 1/7, Sea Dogs: 3/5
Shots on Goal: Wildcats: 12+9+19=40, Sea Dogs: 11+14+6=31
Attendance: 6,488
SAINT JOHN SCRATCHES
Nicholas Pard, who has a fractured foot, was scratched for Saint John. Kevin Gagne missed yet another game with a knee injury.
Tyrone Sock, Aiden Kelly, and Will Johnston were also out.
DOGS FINALLY REBOUND
They did whatever it took to win, and for once in this series, it actually worked for the Saint John Sea Dogs.
Saint John defeated the Moncton Wildcats 6-4 last night in game three of the President’s Cup Final at Harbour Station. The Wildcats still hold a 2-1 series edge with it heading back to Moncton on Friday.
"We needed that win tonight and we got it," Michael Kirkpatrick said to the CBC. "A big win for us and now we're right back in the series."
A loss would have put the Sea Dogs’ magical season on life support. But with a win Tuesday, Saint John is very much alive after sleep walking in games one and two.
"It was outstanding, everything was good,'' Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant said of his team's showing in the first two periods to the Telegraph-Journal. "We competed, we blocked shots, we did a great job on the penalty kill and that's the kind of hockey you have to (raise) your level to. We were really happy and then we got that big lead and we stopped playing.''
The Sea Dogs opened up a 2-0 lead in the first period before Gabriel Bourque notched his sixth of the series to make it 2-1 after one.
Saint John blew it open in the second and took a 5-1 lead into the third.
"I think we got away from our game plan," said Randy Cameron to the Times & Transcript. "They were fighting for their lives tonight. They came out really strong and I don't think we were ready for it. Next game we've got to be ready to match their intensity level.”
But the Wildcats didn’t throw in the towel. Moncton scored three quick goals late in the third to get back within one. But Mike Hoffman secured the game with an empty net goal with seven seconds remaining.
QUICK START
Saint John finally got the start they wanted last night. Just 1:05 into the game, Danick Gauthier scored his third of the series to give Saint John their first lead of the Final. Just over five minutes later, the Sea Dogs made it 2-0.
"That's what we have to do when you're playing at home and you got embarrassed last game and you're down 2-0," Gallant said. "I didn't expect nothing else from our team and I was pretty happy with the way they competed."
Not only did the Dogs jump out to a quick lead – they laid a lot of hits and blocked a lot shots to keep the ‘Cats out of the game.
"I thought we set the tone for the game in the first three or four shifts," said Gallant. "We definitely had something to prove after the way we played in the first two games. We've got ourselves back in the series now.”
FLAT FINISH
Holding on to a 5-1 lead, it looked like the Sea Dogs would cruise to an easy victory. But Moncton never quit.
“I was happy with the way we competed, but definitely disappointed with the last seven or eight minutes,” said Gallant. “We opened the door up for them to come back in the game.''
Randy Cameron scored twice and Gabriel Bourque added another as the Wildcats came back to make it a 5-4 game in a seven minute span.
“I thought we showed lots of heart and character to battle back when we were down 5-1 in the third period," said Moncton head coach Danny Flynn. "We could've just thrown in the towel, but I thought we kept chipping away and made it close. That's something to build on going into the next game.”
COUZY INJURED
According to the News 88.9 post-game show, Saint John goaltender Marco Cousineau was hurt late in the game. Although it was not obvious that the net minder was in pain, Cousineau apparently suffered an upper body injury.
In an interview on News 88.9’s “The Drive” this afternoon, Tim Roszell discussed Cousineau’s play but never mentioned his injury.
The 20-year old made 36 saves in the win and stayed in the game following his injury.
THE LEGEND GROWS
Gabriel Bourque is putting on one of the greatest playoff performances in recent memory. With two goals last night, the Nashville prospect has seven goals in the President’s Cup Final and 18 in the playoffs.
Bourque only had 16 goals in 55 regular season games.
With his pair of goals and an assist in the game, he has now received a point in nine consecutive games.
RIO BE GONE
Star Wildcat goalie Nicola Riopel didn’t have his best night on Tuesday. Riopel allowed four goals on 18 shots before being pulled in the second period. He also let in the first two shots he faced.
Shane Owen came in to relieve Riopel and allowed one goal on 12 shots.
WELCOME TO THE FINAL
Well, it’s about time:
Michael Kirkpatrick: Two goals, one assist
Nicholas Petersen: One goal, one assist
Mike Hoffman: Two goals, two assists
GO-GO IS GOING
Danick Gauthier scored his third goal of the series and sixth of the playoffs last night.
Gauthier has scored in every game of this series. In fact, each of his goals have opened the scoring for Saint John.
WINDSOR MOVES ON TO BRANDON
The Windsor Spitfires have defeated improbable odds to move on to the MasterCard Memorial Cup in Brandon later this month.
The Spitfires came back from three games down against the Kitchener Rangers in the semi-finals. Then last night, the Spits finished off a sweep of the Barrie Colts – the number one team in the country.
It is the second straight trip to the Memorial Cup for Windsor. The Spitfires, of course, feature former Sea Dogs goaltender Troy Passingham.
In the Western Hockey League Final, the Calgary Hitmen have a 3-0 series advantage over Tri-City.
HIGHLIGHTS
WILDCATS POST-GAME
QUICK HITS
The City of Saint John handed out 2,000 tambourines… Saint John went 60% on the power play… Moncton’s regular season leading scorer, Nicolas Deschamps, missed his third straight game is unlikely to play in this series… dancing Brendan was way up in the upper bowl last night… Saint John mixed up their lines for most of the night… Moncton showed some frustration in the second period, taking three penalties.
TOMORROW
Join Rogers Sportnet’s Sam Cosentino , Yahoo! Jr. Hockey Editor Sunaya Sapurji, and Buzzing the Net blogger Neate Sager on Thursday, May 6 at 2:00 pm on Yahoo! Sports, where they’ll talk a little puck about the Spitfires sweep, OHL firings and hirings, the WHL final, and the QMJHL final between Moncton and Saint John.
TICKETS
Tickets to game five at Harbour Station on Saturday go on-sale Thursday morning at 10:00 am at the box office, online, and by phone.
NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs head to the oven on Friday to take on the Wildcats at 7:30 pm. The game is sold-out.
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