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.
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.
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