SEA DOGS SINK DRAKKAR

SN POST-GAME
FINAL: Drakkar 1, Sea Dogs 6

SAINT JOHN – The Baie-Comeau Drakkar struck first, but it was the Saint John Sea Dogs getting the last laugh in a 6-1 win over the Drakkar on Saturday night at Harbour Station in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.

Saint John’s hot play continued with the win as they have now won five straight and have earned at least a point in their past 12 contests.

Lukas Cingel opened the scoring at 4:20 of the opening frame to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The puck came loose from Saint John goaltender Jacob DeSerres, allowing Cingel to backhand the puck into the open cage.

Although Baie-Comeau was playing well, they just couldn’t escape the period with a lead as the Simon Despres show began. The Pittsburgh Penguins prospect scored his first at 14:30 and his second at 17:28 to give the Sea Dogs a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.

On a power play in the second period, a short pass ahead found Danick Gauthier just inside the line. Gauthier skated in on a partial break and unleashed a shot that went off the far post and in to give Saint John a two-goal advantage.

The Sea Dogs headed to the dressing rooms for the second intermission up 4-1 as a last minute goal by Steven Anthony gave the Dogs a commanding lead. The play started with Despres throwing the puck in front where Anthony banged at the disc twice before hammering it home.

In the final stanza, Gauthier scored his second of the match at 5:07 while shorthanded. The third-liner found himself on a partial break again but was hooked up a bit this time, still managing to swipe the puck under the pads on Baie-Comeau netminder Simon Giroux to give the Dogs a 5-1 lead.

Saint John ended the scoring parade at 14:30 as Kevin Gagne put the puck on a tee for Eric Gelinas. The New Jersey Devils prospect fired a blast from the point that beat Giroux low blocker side to make it a 6-1 final.

While it was a convincing score for the Sea Dogs, the Drakkar played well in spurts and certainly were not awful in this game. Baie-Comeau had their opportunities with Saint John taking seven penalties in the game - none of which the Drakkar could connect on.

DeSerres made 17 saves in the win while Giroux allowed six goals on 34 shots in the loss.

SAINT JOHN SCRATCHES
Sea Dogs captain Mike Thomas served an automatic one-game suspension after “taking off one's own helmet or attempting to pull off an opponent's helmet, undo the chinstrap or his opponent's” in Friday’s win over the Moncton Wildcats.

Ryan Tesink and Gabriel Bourret were the other scratches.

QUICK HITS
Saint John reaches the 40-win mark for the third time in four years with the win… Hugo Laporte was booed every time he touched the puck. He was a -3 and served an interference penalty in the first period… this is the second game of a three-in-three weekend for the Sea Dogs… the Baie-Comeau Drakkar have now lost five straight games… Jonathan Huberdeau continued to wear the full cage on his helmet… Alexandre Durette had a team high four shots for the Drakkar… Zack Phillips had a team high six shots for the Sea Dogs… Pierre Durepos was an impressive +4… Alexandre Beauregard, with two fights, was the News 88.9 Top Dog… to relive the game, check out the SN Live Blog Replay.

NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs and Drakkar do battle again this afternoon at 4pm at Harbour Station on ‘Francofan Day.’

Photo Credit: KJ McLean