FINAL: Sea Dogs 9, Wildcats 7
MONCTON – It was a wild one in Wildtown.
In the first period, it looked as though the Moncton Wildcats would walk over the Saint John Sea Dogs as they have done in the past at the Moncton Coliseum.
But not on this day.
Moncton took a 4-0 lead into the final minute of the first period and looked as though they would be able to carry that momentum over into the second period. But a late Guillaume Cloutier goal seemed to give the Sea Dogs just that little boost necessary to create a comeback.
Saint John stormed back, scoring five goals in the middle frame to take a 6-4 lead into the third. After a mix of this-and-that in the final stanza, the Dogs ended up with a bizarre 9-7 win.
Stanislav Galiev, Jonathan Huberdeau, Zack Phillips, Cloutier, Mike Thomas, Steven Anthony, Ryan Tesink, Stephen MacAulay, and Simon Despres all scored for Saint John. Goaltending was a factor early on as Frederic Piche allowed two weak goals on three shots. He was then replaced by Jacob DeSerres who played well, stopping 22 shots to pick up the win.
Daniel Milan and Alex Saulnier each scored a pair while Allain Saulnier, Daniel Pettersson, and Marek Hrivik added singles. Goaltender Shane Owen allowed all eight goals on 37 shots.
The sluggish start likely had something to do with the Sea Dogs being stranded for most of the day on a highway to Bathurst yesterday. Once the Saint John got their legs moving, they were the better team for the majority of the match.
FIRST PERIOD
Daniel Pettersson made it 1-0 early on when he let a shot along the goal line that fooled Frederic Piche glove side. It was Moncton’s first shot on goal.
After Tomas Jurco had a decent scoring opportunity but had it blockered away by Shane Owen, Moncton made it a 2-0 game. Marek Hrivik let a sharp angle shot go from along the boards that beat Piche again upstairs on the glove side. Jacob DeSerres relieved Piche after the goal in the Sea Dogs net.
Simon Despres and the Sea Dogs tried to gain some momentum back after the ‘Cats doubled their lead. Despres let a hard slap shot go from the top of the circle that just went wide.
At 7:27, Matt Tomah headed to the box for kneeing. Saint John put together a solid power play but couldn’t score. With the man advantage over, Aidan Kelly was left alone at the side of the net but was denied by the pad of Owen.
With Danick Gauthier in the box for Saint John, Moncton extended their lead at 12:52. Alex Saulnier accepted a pass just below the dot and fired a shot up and over the glove of DeSerres to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.
After Jurco had another good scoring chance, this time by cutting in front and letting a backhand shot go, Mike Thomas was called 17:03 for cross-checking. It was the first Thomas penalty of the year that had the Sea Dogs frustrated with the officials.
On the power play, the ‘Cats went back to work. Allain Saulnier was parked at the side of the net and accepted a cross crease feed to make it a 4-0 lead for the home team.
In the final minute of play at 19:36, rookie defenseman Guillaume Cloutier let a point shot go through traffic. The shot beat Owen to put the Sea Dogs on the board and down by three going into intermission.
Shots in the opening frame were 14-10 Saint John.
SECOND PERIOD
Saint John wasted little time at getting back into the game. Despres entered the zone and cut into the crease area but had his shot stopped. The rebound went to Stephen MacAulay at the side of the net who had an open cage to make it 4-2.
The Sea Dogs started to take over from there as Thomas had two great chances in the crease but was stopped both times by Owen.
Brandon Gormley went to the box at 2:16. On the power play, Zach Phillips was robbed by Owen on a one time chance after a nice pass from Jonathan Huberdeau.
After Phillips was sent to the box, Thomas worked some magic on the four-on-four. The Sea Dogs captain ripped a slap shot from along the boards that went up high on Owen to make it a one goal game.
On another session of four-on-four hockey later on, DeSerres came out of his net to get a puck from a streaking Wildcat player. He missed it, allowing Devon MacAusland to skate around him but missed the empty net.
The Sea Dogs’ comeback miracle was complete at 7:59 as a Steven Anthony pass was finished off by Despres. The shot just barely crossed the line – but there was no review.
Saint John then did the impossible at 12:09 when Ryan Tesink tipped an Aidan Kelly pass by Owen to give the Dogs an unbelievable 5-4 lead.
DeSerres did his job at the other end as well, stopping a three-on-one Wildcats rush. Then with Huberdeau in the box for high sticking at 14:57, Alex MacDonald was robbed by the netminder’s pad.
With just 0.7 seconds left in the period, Steven Anthony gave the visitors an unlikely 6-4 lead when he tipped a shot past Owen in front.
Shots in the middle frame were 16-10 Saint John.
THIRD PERIOD
Phillips made it a 7-4 game just 40 seconds into the third period. Huberdeau was behind the net and fed Phillips in front who made a nice deke around Owen to make it a three goal Sea Dogs lead.
Brett Malone stole the puck off Kevin Gagne’s stick in front moments later but was stopped by DeSerres. Then Scott Trask took a puck in the groin region, forcing the Wildcats trainer to come out.
The Wildcats went to the power play at 7:31 when Kirkpatrick ran over Owen in the Moncton crease. On the man advantage, a point shot through traffic by Daniel Milan beat DeSerres to make it a 7-5 game.
At 10:09 and the Wildcats back on the power play, Milan scored again. DeSerres made the initial stop at the side of the net and tried to cover. But the puck was loose, allowing Milan to make it a one goal game again.
But Huberdeau got Saint John’s two goal lead right back at 10:37. Phillips sent the initial shot in on goal and Huberdeau did the work in the crease. The 18-year old beat Owen in front with a backhand shot to make it an 8-6 game.
Kirkpatrick was thrown out of the game at 13:16 when he nailed MacDonald in the end zone. The Wildcats were given a five minute power play, a huge moment in the game with Saint John leading by just two. Moncton took advantage at 17:42 when Alex Saulnier cut through the zone and beat DeSerres with a backhand shot to put the Wildcats back within one.
The goal wouldn’t be enough however as Despres threw the puck up in the air, allowing Stanislav Galiev to record the empty net insurance marker at 19:14 to give the Sea Dogs a whacky 9-7 victory.
Shots in the third stanza were 11-10 Saint John.
The Wildcats went an amazing 5/8 on the power play while Saint John went 0/3.
STATS
Saint John Sea Dogs 9 at Moncton Wildcats 7 - Status Unofficial Final
Sunday, November 21, 2010 - Moncton Coliseum
Saint John 1 5 3 - 9
Moncton 4 0 3 - 7
1st Game Period-1, Moncton, Pettersson 17 (MacAusland, Hrivik), 1:15. 2, Moncton, Hrivik 11 (MacAusland, Gormley), 4:12. 3, Moncton, Saulnier 11 (Gormley, Saulnier), 12:52 (pp). 4, Moncton, Saulnier 11 (Saulnier, MacDonald), 18:54 (pp). 5, Saint John, Cloutier 2 19:36. Penalties-Tomah Mon (kneeing), 7:27; Gauthier Snb (roughing), 11:22; Pridham Mon (tripping), 13:51; Thomas Snb (cross-checking), 17:03.
2nd Game Period-6, Saint John, MacAulay 7 (Després, Thomas), 1:00. 7, Saint John, Thomas 5 (Gauthier, Després), 4:15. 8, Saint John, Després 5 (Galiev, Anthony), 7:59. 9, Saint John, Tesink 6 (Kelly, Oke), 12:09. 10, Saint John, Anthony 8 (Galiev, Gagné), 19:59. Penalties-Gormley Mon (cross-checking), 2:16; Phillips Snb (hooking), 3:43; Tesink Snb (roughing), 6:10; Thomas Snb (roughing), 6:10; Daoust Mon (roughing), 6:10; Huberdeau Snb (high-sticking), 14:57.
3rd Game Period-11, Saint John, Phillips 14 (Huberdeau, Jurco), 0:40. 12, Moncton, Milan 9 (Gormley, Saulnier), 8:18 (pp). 13, Moncton, Milan 10 (Pettersson, Daoust), 10:09 (pp). 14, Saint John, Huberdeau 16 (Phillips, Jurco), 10:37. 15, Moncton, Saulnier 12 (Saulnier, Milan), 17:42 (pp). 16, Saint John, Galiev 11 (Després), 19:14 (en). Penalties-Kirkpatrick Snb (interference of a player or a goaltender), 7:31; served by Huberdeau Snb (interference of a player or a goaltender), 8:18; Kirkpatrick Snb (checking from behind, checking from behind - game misconduct), 13:16.
Shots on Goal-Saint John 38. Moncton 30.
Power Play Opportunities-Saint John 0 of 3; Moncton 5 of 8.
Goalies-Saint John, Piché 9-1-0-2 (3 shots-1 saves); DeSerres 5-1-0-0 (27 shots-22 saves). Moncton, Owen 9-6-0-2 (37 shots-29 saves).
A-5,290
Referees-Tom Clarkson (11), Todd Thomander (15).
Linesmen-Mike MacDonnell (86), Ryan Burke (46).
NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow.
NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan Friday night at 7:30 pm.
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