Friday, December 2, 2016

RECAP: Sea Dogs win 3-2 (SO)

FINAL: Saint John 3, Shawinigan 2 (SO)
SHAWINIGAN, Que. - Well, that was something.

With 1:50 to play in regulation time, the Saint John Sea Dogs were down 2-0 to the Shawinigan Cataractes. The Sea Dogs are leaving Centre Gervais Auto with a 3-2 shootout win.

With Alex Bishop on the bench, Bokondji Imama scored twice within a 45-second span in the final couple minutes of third period, tying the game at 2-2. In overtime, the Sea Dogs killed off a penalty and then nearly won it in the dying seconds. Then in the shootout, Thomas Chabot and Matthew Highmore scored to secure the win.

Bishop made 24 saves in the victory. Mathieu Joseph, who was originally credited with the first Sea Dogs goal, picked up two assists.

The Cataractes, who have one of the top defence units in the QMJHL, had goals from Samuel Girard and Tommy Cardinal. Tommy Lemay had the team's lone shootout goal. Mikhail Denisov was solid, making 31 saves.

To the notes...
  • The Sea Dogs had the better of the scoring chances in the first period. Spencer Smallman had a couple quality opportunities while Chabot nearly scored on a wraparound.
  • The Cataractes opened the scoring at 17:12 of the first on a power play. The puck came to Girard at the point who blasted a shot high glove side past Bishop.
  • Shawinigan went to the power play after Kyle Ward was called for a hook - a hook that likely saved a goal as Samuel Asselin had a wide open net on a deke.
  • Shortly after Saint John produced a solid penalty kill, Antoine Demers fed Cardinal in the slot at 11:56 of the second and fired a wrist shot past Bishop to give Shawinigan a 2-0 advantage.
  • With Bishop on the bench, Imama got the Sea Dogs on the board at 18:10 of the third. Smallman fed Joseph in the slot who fired a shot that, apparently, Imama got a piece of to send it past Denisov.
  • Then 45 seconds later, Joseph was at the goal line and fed Imama in the slot and beat the Cataractes goaltender, stunning the Shawinigan side and sending the match to extra time.
  • 35 seconds into overtime, Highmore took an unfortunate delay of game penalty - but the Sea Dogs were able to kill it off.
  • In the dying seconds of OT, an Imama shot created a rebound that Joseph sent along the goal line and out the other side of the crease.
  • In the shootout, Chabot scored an unbelievable goal in the opening round. Lemay tied it in the third round, setting up Highmore's winner in round five.
  • Cardinal's goal was the first of his QMJHL career.
  • Bishop made his first start since Nov. 23.
  • Mathieu Joseph extended his point streak to 14 games.
  • The Sea Dogs still have not lost a game in regulation time in Quebec this season.
  • Saint John has struggled on the power play the past few games and went 0/6 in this game.
  • 15-year-old forward Isiah Campbell, a third-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2016 QMJHL Entry Draft, made his debut on Thursday.
  • The Sea Dogs and Cataractes meet again on Feb. 11 at Harbour Station.
  • We mention this a lot, but the fact that the Sea Dogs are continuing to pull off wins like this with the lineup they are dressing is remarkable. The team once again dressed just five defencemen.
  • Saint John has now won four straight and have picked up points in nine straight.

LINEUP
SCRATCHES
Jakub Zboril (suspension - 4th of five games), Joe Veleno (lower body), John Warren (upper body), Bailey Webster (upper body), Matt Green (upper body), Bryson Michel (healthy), Nathan Noel (suspension - one game) and Alexandre Bernier (suspension - one game).

Veleno once again took warm up but did not play. He is not expected to play on this road trip, according to Tim Roszell.

TURNING POINT
Bokondji Imama's game tying goal with 1:05 to play sent the game to extra time where the Sea Dogs were able to complete the victory.

SN PLAYERS OF THE GAME
1. Bokondji Imama
2. Thomas Chabot
3. Mathieu Joseph

TWEET OF THE GAME
NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs are in Drummondville tomorrow to take on the Voltigeurs at 8 p.m.
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