WILDCATS CRUIZE TO OPENING GAME WIN

STATION NATION RECAP
Final: Wildcats 5, Sea Dogs 1

SAINT JOHN – It wasn’t the way the Saint John Sea Dogs wanted to play their first ever President's Cup Final.

A disastrous and penalty filled second period ultimately killed the Dogs’ hopes of taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The visiting Moncton Wildcats, who had more fans at the game then an October tilt in Bathurst, took the opening game 5-1 on Friday night at Harbour Station.

"Moncton played well but we looked flat out there,” said Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant to the Sea Dogs’ Twitter page. “There's no doubt in my mind we'll be better on Sunday."

Game two of the series is Sunday at 4:00 pm in Wildtown.

Saint John played with the ‘Cats for much of the game until the second period. Two power play goals by Moncton gave them a 4-1 lead, deflating the Atlantic division champions.

The Sea Dogs, surprisingly, did not show up at all in the third. A three goal deficit is certainly not impossible to overcome for the league's highest scoring team, but Saint John never gained any kind of moment to try and get back in the game.

Gabriel Bourque recorded a hat trick for Moncton while singles came from Ted Stephens and Brandon Gormley.

Danick Gauthier scored the lone Saint John goal.

Moncton came out flying early, as a pass from down low came out to the point for Brandon Gormley. The top ranked NHL prospect fired a point shot through more traffic then Simms Corner at rush hour. The puck found its way by Marco Cousineau, making it 1-0 Wildcats just 14 seconds into the game.

But Saint John would respond just 1:04 later. After a mad scramble in the Moncton crease, the puck squirted loose to the top of the blue paint. Danick Gauthier fired the disc up and over a stunned Nicola Riopel to tie the game at 1-1.

Cole MacMillan had two good chances following the scoring rush but had both stopped by a solid Cousineau.

After Saint John failed to score on a power play opportunity, Moncton took back the lead. Scott Brannon fed Alex Saulnier who was located just inside the point. Saulnier quickly dished a pass out to Gabriel Bourque at the side of the goal. The World Junior silver medalist made no mistake, finishing off the tic-tac-tie play to make it 2-1 ‘Cats at 17:25.

Shots in the first were 14-11 Wildcats.

Less than 30 seconds in, Saint John almost tied the game after the puck made a strange bounce in on Riopel and fell to the goal line. The officials went upstairs back ruled that the puck did not cross the line.

Mike Thomas headed to the box at 12:02 for tripping. Moncton looked like they may had taken the lead after a mad scramble. But after a lengthy review and a few rounds of the wave making its way around a sold-out Harbour Station, the call stood and was ruled no goal.

But before Thomas could get out of the box, Michael Kirkpatrick headed in at 13:33. That would prove costly, as the Wildcats’ Bourque found the back of the cage off a scramble at 15:17.

Just after missing a wide open cage with the puck on his stick blade, Stanislav Galiev took a four minute penalty for slew footing at 16:28. On that power play, with Cousineau down and out at the other side of his net, Ted Stephens slid the puck through Nathan Beaulieu’s skates to make it 4-1.

Shots in the middle stanza were 13-8 Wildcats.

In the third, neither team seemed like they wanted to play. Moncton chose to sit back and protect their lead while Saint John really had no urgency until it was too late.

Cousineau headed off to the bench with a few minutes remaining for the extra attacker. But that plan backfired as Bourque finished off his hat trick at 17:25.

Shots in the third were 11-7 Moncton.

The Wildcats went 2/4 on the power play while Saint John went 0/3.

NOTES: Lots to discuss in Sea Dogs Postscript Saturday, including four bus loads on Moncton fans.

NEXT GAME: Game two is Sunday at 4:00 pm at the Moncton Coliseum.