SEA DOGS SHINE AT TOP PROSPECTS GAME

SN POST-GAME
FINAL: Team Cherry 1, Team Orr 7

TORONTO - Now that was impressive.

Saint John Sea Dogs Jonathan Huberdeau, Zach Phillips, and Nathan Beaulieu all scored for Team Orr in a 7-1 blowout win over Tomas Jurco and Team Cherry at the 2011 Home Hardware Top Prospects Game at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre Wednesday night.

“The Sea Dogs may be barking up the right tree after that performance,” said HockeyCentral host Darren Millard after the game.

Huberdeau had a goal and an assist, Phillips a goal and two helpers, and Beaulieu also added a marker of his own to along with a slashing minor. Jurco, who won yesterday’s ‘Showdown Breakaway Contest’, was held off the score sheet but still stood-out on Team Cherry.

The Rogers Sportsnet crew praised the Saint John quartet all night long. Panelist Doug MacLean mentioned his talk with Sea Dogs head coach and fellow Prince Edward Islander Gerard Gallant about a dozen times.

It was an impressive showing, a display that surely helped all four players gain exposure in front of the boat load of general managers and scouts in attendance.

Phillips got on the board first with an assist as he passed the puck off to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The highly touted Red Deer Rebel forward then gave a terrific cross ice pass to Sven Bartschi to give Team Orr a 2-0 lead.

At 9:30 of the second period, Huberdeau picked up a rebound in front and walked around Christopher Gibson to give Team Orr a 3-0 advantage. Also during the middle frame, Rob Faulds spoke to former Sea Dogs head coach Jacques Beaulieu about his son, Nathan.

After Team Cherry got on the board later in the second, Beaulieu got Team Orr back on track at 2:58 of the third. The defenseman blasted a shot that blew past Victoriaville Tigres goaltender David Honzik to make it a 4-1 game. Huberdeau got an assist on the goal.

At 3:56, Phillips banged home a rebound in front to give Team Orr a four-goal advantage and all but icing the match. The Fredericton native also assisted on Dougie Hamilton’s late third period goal to make it a 7-1 final.

Also in the game, Myles Bell apparently wanted to drop the gloves with Huberdeau but couldn’t get the Sea Dogs’ leading scorer to dance.

SOLID STUFF
It was a great broadcast by Rogers Sportsnet that included a very well organized pre-game show and some post-game recapping. It was similar to TSN’s world junior broadcasts.

We probably sound like a broken record by now, but it’s nice to see the Sea Dogs – ranked No. 1 in the CHL for a sixth straight week – actually get the national exposure they deserve.

Hopefully Sportsnet can continue the coverage in their CHL broadcasts. We’re not holding our breath, though.

UP NEXT
The four will now rejoin the Sea Dogs in time for Friday’s 8:30 pm road match in Baie-Comeau.