FINAL (SO): Rocket 2, Sea Dogs 3
SAINT JOHN – Unreal.
That simple word is probably the best way to describe Tuesday night's Quebec Major Junior Hockey League match at Harbour Station that saw the Saint John Sea Dogs defeat the Prince Edward Island Rocket 3-2 in a shootout.
The only reason this game was close, the only reason this game wasn’t a blowout, and the only reason this game went to a shootout was because of Rocket goaltender Evan Mosher. Despite the loss, the netminder put on what has to be one of the greatest goaltending performances in QMJHL history.
Mosher faced an incredible 67 shots on night, allowing only two goals. If you count the shootout, he allowed a total of four goals on 70 shots.
The fact that the Sea Dogs got 67 shots on goal – shattering the old team record of 56 in a game – is remarkable in itself. But this game will be remembered because of Mosher, earning an unlikely one point for his team against the top team in the nation.
Mosher’s team didn’t give him a whole lot of help, firing only 17 shots on net the entire game. Sea Dogs goaltender Mathieu Corbeil, making his Saint John debut, was a bit shaky at times. Alex Noel and Samuel Morneau both beat him with the Morneau shot appearing to be of the stoppable variety.
Tomas Jurco and Michael Kirkpatrick were able to beat the stone wall in the PEI crease. Jonathan Huberdeau ended up registering the win in the shootout.
Alexandre Beauregard had a few good opportunities at the top of the crease in the first few minutes of the game but was denied each time by the Rocket netminder Evan Mosher. Soon after, the Sea Dogs had another decent chance as a drop pass found Tomas Jurco who wristed a shot on net. The rebound went to Michael Kirkpatrick down low but couldn’t get the puck off.
The Rocket opened the scoring at 9:21 when Matthew Hobbs let a shot go on Mathieu Corbeil. The puck then went to the side of the net where Olivier Croteau fired the puck home to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
After several minutes of nothing, Kirkpatrick came across the line and let a good shot go while avoiding a Rocket defenseman. Play then opened up a bit as Zach Phillips and Steven Anthony entered the zone on a two-on-one. Phillips kept the puck and shot it but Anthony couldn’t blast the rebound past Mosher. The Rocket then had a two-on-one back the other way but failed to get a shot off.
Shortly after Mike Thomas missed his man and leveled teammate Scot Oke by accident, Croteau nailed Phillips along the board and was called for checking from behind at 19:14. Croteau and Anthony then dropped the gloves in a rather uneventful tilt that lasted a short time prior to being broke up by the officials.
On the power play in the final minute, it looked like Saint John had a great chance to tie the game with a ton of traffic buzzing around the crease. But Jonathan Huberdeau went too far apparently at 19:54, taking an interference penalty.
Shots in the opening 20-minutes were 20-5 Saint John. Kirkpatrick led the Dogs in shots with four, all being considered dangerous.
SECOND PERIOD
Saint John had a lot of offensive pressure early on in the frame but still could not break the wall in front of the Rocket net.
Stephen MacAulay had a great chance to tie the game at 7:20 after being hauled down on a partial break. He was rewarded a penalty shot, but on his free chance, Mosher stayed with him as MacAulay made a move to his forehand to keep the Rocket in front.
The Sea Dogs then began to throw just about everything on goal. Scott Oke centered for Beauregard but he missed his shot. Then Eric Gelinas let a one-timer go from just inside the line that was stopped squarely in the chest by Mosher. Soon after, Kirkpatrick let a shot go that produced a rebound to MacAulay in the slot but was denied as well.
Finally, at 10:56 following an unreal stop by Mosher off MacAulay, Tomas Jurco was able to bang the disc in close to tie the game at 1-1. The goal went under a brief review but the call would stand.
But PEI would come right back as Samuel Morneau let a shot go from the boards that snuck past the short side of Corbeil who was down in the crease to give the visitors their one-goal lead back.
Saint John just kept firing away following the Rocket marker. A two-on-one chance was stopped by Mosher once again followed by the netminder managing to match Huberdeau’s spin move in front, staying with the sniper and making the stop.
Shots in the second period were an amazing 28-4, giving Saint John a 48-9 shots advantage after two. The 28 shots set a franchise record for shots in a period.
THIRD PERIOD
Things went about the same way in the third period. Ryan Tesink centered for Danick Gauthier in the crease but he missed the pass. Then Gelinas wound up and ripped a point shot that was deflected high and wide.
After Corbeil made his best save of the night, Saint John went to the man advantage at 9:26. On the ensuing power play, Despres cranked a shot off the post before Mosher went into full out animal mode. Phillips was fed with a perfect cross crease pass and had a wide open cage but, not surprisingly, the Rocket goaltender came across to make some kind of ridiculous pad save.
With the power play over, Kirkpatrick had enough at 12:43 as he finally beat the PEI netminder down low to put Saint John back in a tie at 2-2.
Huberdeau almost gave the Sea Dogs the lead in the dying minutes as he a made a great move to get into the crease area, managing to deke around everyone on the ice except Mosher. Finally, Stanislav Galiev had the last good chance in front of the net but sent the disc wide.
Shots in the final stanza were 14-6 Saint John.
OVERTIME
MacAulay had a good chance early on but was denied by Mosher. Then, Philippe Paradis had a great chance for the Rocket but was stopped by a rather shaky Mathieu Corbeil at the other end, allowing a dangerous looking rebound that was eventually cleared away.
Mike Thomas had the best opportunity in the extra session, ringing a shot off the post.
Shots were 5-2 in favour of the Dogs for a game total of 67-17.
SHOOTOUT
Jurco gave Saint John a 1-0 lead by pulling off his trademark move, followed by Jamie MacIntyre beating Corbeil five-hole to tie it up.
In the second round, Huberdeau pulled off his trademark move followed by Morneau being stopped by Corbeil. Nathan Beaulieu was denied by Mosher on the next attempt, but Corbeil stood tall to stop Andrej Nestrasil and earn the Dogs the extra point.
NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow.
NEXT GAME: The Drummondville Voltigeurs come to town on Friday for a 7:30 pm tilt at Harbour Station.
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