Saturday, January 7, 2012

RECAP: Welcome Back. Dogs Win 6-3.

FINAL: Saint John 6, Halifax 3

HALIFAX, NS – There is something about second periods that the Saint John Sea Dogs like.

Entering Saturday’s game in Halifax, the Sea Dogs had outscored opponents 77-42 in the middle frame, making them the best second period team in the league. Saint John kept rolling on Saturday, scoring five second period goals in a 6-3 win over the Mooseheads at the Halifax Metro Centre.

The Mooseheads led 2-0 entering the second stanza but the Sea Dogs only needed 1:44 on the fresh ice to tie it up. They added three more and led 5-3 after 40 minutes. They added an empty netter in the third to seal the deal.

Six different Sea Dogs scored in the win as Jonathan Huberdeau, Stephen Anderson, Pierre Durepos, Kevin Gagne, Oliver Cooper, and Zack Phillips all connected. Gagne, Stephen MacAulay, Aidan Kelly and Nathan Beaulieu each had two assists. Mathieu Corbeil made 19 saves in the win.

Huberdeau and Beaulieu were both playing in their first game back from the world juniors. Cooper also returned to the Sea Dogs lineup after participating in the world under-17 tournament.

It was a solid victory for the Sea Dogs. They got off to a shaky start, allowing two power play goals in the first period, but recovered in a big way, outshooting Halifax 22-11 over the final 40 minutes.

Halifax had a pair of goals from current/future superstar Nathan MacKinnon while Matthew Boudreau added the other. Zachary Fucale allowed five goals on 33 shots.

FIRST PERIOD
Brad Cuzner had a great chance early on in the first period but Matheiu Corbeil made the pad save.

Saint John went to the power play at 3:58. They had some good pressure on but couldn’t connect.

Back at even strength, Ian Saab let a shot go that was stopped by Zachary Fucale in the Halifax crease. Then, Danick Guathier fed Stephen Anderson with a great pass but he couldn’t open the scoring.

Halifax went to the power play at 9:39. On the man advantage, Nathan MacKinnon took a pass in front of the net and sniped one past Corbeil to give Halifax a 1-0 lead.

The Dogs quickly went back to the man advantage at 10:16 after Fucale played the puck in the no-zone. But, Jonathan Huberdeau took a roughing penalty at 10:47. During the four-on-four, Stephen MacAulay centered the puck to a streaking Zack Phillips who couldn’t get a great shot off on Fucale.

Halifax went back to the man advantage at 17:48. On the power play at 19:26, Darcey Ashley sent a great cross ice pass to Matthew Boudreau who was parked at the side of the goal. Boudreau had an easy tap in to give the Moose a 2-0 lead heading into the intermission.

Shots were 12-11 in favour of the Sea Dogs in the first period.

SECOND PERIOD
Just 17 seconds into the second frame, Saint John went to the power play. On the man advantage, Nathan Beaulieu fired a shot from the point that was tipped nicely by Huberdeau to make it 2-1 at the 57-second mark.

At 1:44, the Sea Dogs tied the game. MacAulay let a shot go that was stopped by Fucale but produced a rebound. Anderson was there at the bottom of the circle to put it in and tie the game up at 2-2.

Huberdeau and Cameron Critchlow headed to the sin bin at 3:11 for roughing. During the four-on-four play at 4:22, MacKinnon wired a shot from the high slot, and, using Kevin Gagne as a screen, beat Corbeil up high to put the Moose in front 3-2.

The Dogs headed back to the power play at 4:56. Gauthier had a great chance early on, sending the puck wide while standing in the crease. With one-second left in the power play, Gagne was at the top of the point and sent a pass to Pierre Durepos at the top of the circle. He blasted a shot past Fucale to tie it at 3-3.

Halifax went to the power play again at 9:49 but couldn’t connect. The Dogs had another man advantage at 12:02 but couldn’t connect either.

Back at even strength, Huberdeau wired a shot off the post. Then MacKinnon came back the other way and fired a shot just high of the corner.

Gagne put the Sea Dogs in front at 17:04. A pass from the corner made its way to the slot area where the defenseman beat Fucale to make it a 4-3 contest.

Saint John increased their lead to 5-3 at 18:10. Beaulieu wired a shot wide and off the boards. The puck bounced to Oliver Cooper at the side of the net who scored to give the Dogs a two-goal cushion heading to the dressing room.

Gauthier and Ashley both picked up penalties after the buzzer sounded thanks to some rough stuff.

Shots were 14-3 Saint John in the middle frame.

THIRD PERIOD
MacAulay took a tripping penalty 1:34 into the third period. While shorthanded, Gauthier had a break but was stopped by Fucale.

Back at even strength, Cuzner had a good chance as he chipped a shot off the outside of the post. Saint John went back to the power play at 6:02 but couldn’t get much going.

Halifax was awarded a power play at 11:41. The Mooseheads had some good pressure on and a few chances but were not able to cut into Saint John’s lead. Back at even strength, Phillips had a chance in the slot but hit Sawyer Hannay.

At 18:08, Hannay and Grant West both headed to the box. The Moose pulled Fucale soon after to add an extra attacker. But Halifax couldn’t break through, and at 18:44, Huberdeau sent a pass ahead to Phillips who shot the puck into the empty net and make it a 6-3 final.

Shots were eight apiece in the final frame.

Saint John went 2-for-6 on the power play while Halifax went 2-for-7.

NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow on SN.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Shawinigan Cataractes on Thursday at 7pm.

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