Tuesday, May 23, 2017

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 12-5

FINAL: Erie 12, Saint John 5
WINDSOR, Ont. - The Saint John Sea Dogs were on the wrong side of history.

The Sea Dogs suffered one of the worst loses in Memorial Cup history on Monday at the WFCU Centre, losing 12-5 to the OHL champion Erie Otters. The loss drops the QMJHL champion Sea Dogs to 0-2 at this year's tournament while the Otters improved to 2-0.
It's difficult to put the Sea Dogs' performance into words. The team has underperformed at this year's tournament and has not at all looked like the squad that cruised (for the most part) through the QMJHL post-season.

Like Friday's tournament opener, Saint John got off to a rough start. It looked like the team might rebound this time, quickly tying the game after an early Erie goal, but the Otters kept grabbing momentum and never let go. Even when it looked like the Dogs might have a chance to get back into it in the first frame, Erie kept pouncing.

If there is good news for the Sea Dogs it's that they are still very much alive in the tournament. A 12-5 loss or 2-1 overtime loss on Monday would have put them in the same position tomorrow. A win Tuesday against the Seattle Thunderbirds will book them a trip to the Friday's semifinal game. A loss, however, would mean an end to their season.

Dylan Strome had four goals for Erie while Darren Raddysh and Taylor Raddysh each had twice. Singles came from Kyle Maksimovich, Alex DeBrincat, Anthony Cirelli and Ivan Lodnia. Troy Timpano made 18 saves in the loss.

Cedric Pare scored twice for Saint John while singles came from Julien Gauthier, Spencer Smallman and Mathieu Joseph. Callum Booth was pulled after allowing five goals on 14 shots. Alex D'Orio allowed seven goals on 25 shots in the loss.

To the notes...
  • Just 1:06 in, Taylor Raddysh scored on Erie's first shot of the game, making it 1-0 Otters.
  • Saint John tied the game at 5:43 on their first shot. Matt Green fed Pare down low and the Sea Dogs' rookie beat Timpano upstairs to tie it at 1-1.
  • Erie quickly retook the lead at 6:40. A Darren Radddysh point shot went off a Saint John stick and deflected past Booth's glove.
  • Then at 8:33, a Maksimovich shot beat Booth glove side, making it 3-1 Otters.
  • Erie made it 4-1 at 10:11 when Strome finished off a two-on-one, blasting a one-timer past an outstretched Booth. The goal was reviewed for offside but ruled a good goal.
  • Joseph got Saint John back on the board at 13:32, firing a shot past Timpano thanks to a nice feed from Chabot.
  • Just when it looked like Saint John would gain some momentum, Cirelli scored on a wraparound at 16:27, making it 5-2 Otters.
  • That would end Booth's night, who allowed five goals on 14 shots. D'Orio took over and made three saves in the final few minutes of the period.
  • Saint John got off to a good start in the second, creating a couple of quality chances. But Erie quickly got good chances of their own, forcing D'Orio to make some big pad saves.
  • Erie went to a five-on-three power play at 6:40 when Saint John was called for too many men. At 6:48, Taylor Raddysh made it 6-2 Otters.
  • Then at 8:26, Taylor Raddysh fed Strome who was streaking in, making it 7-2 Otters.
  • With 10:05 remaining in the period, Joseph was awarded a penalty shot. On his attempt, Joseph made a nice move to his backhand but was denied by Timpano.
  • Smallman made it a 7-3 game at 17:52, scoring with a wrist shot from the bottom of the circle.
  • Chabot was called for holding at 18:00. On a power play at 18:47, DeBrincat scored to make it an 8-2 game.
  • Then with eight seconds remaining in the period and Erie still on the power play, Darren Raddysh ripped a shot from the top of the circle that beat D'Orio upstairs, making it a 9-3 Erie lead after two periods.
  • Strome scored his third of the game at 5:32 of the third, ripping a hard shot from the slot past D'Orio. That made it 11-3.
  • Strome then scored his fourth at 13:20, making it 12-3.
  • Saint John got a couple goals late. Pare scored at 14:29 and Gauthier at 15:22, making it a 12-5 final.
  • Erie had more goals (five) than Saint John had shots (four) in the first period.
  • As bad as Saint John was defensively in the opening period, the Dogs managed to score two goals on their first three shots on the game.
  • Saint John allowed 11 first period goals in the entire QMJHL playoffs.
  • The 17 total goals scored was a Memorial Cup record.
  • There were six players from the Canadian world junior team in this game: Thomas Chabot, Julian Gauthier, Mathieu Joseph, Anthony Cirelli, Taylor Raddysh and Dylan Strome.
  • There were 18 NHL drafted or signed players in this game.

LINEUP
SCRATCHES
The Sea Dogs were without defencemen Ian Smallwood, Oliver Felixson and David Comeau along with forwards Landon Quinney and Samuel Leblanc.

TURNING POINT
Erie's explosive first period. Once they got started, they didn't stop.

SN THREE STARS
1. Dylan Strome
2. Taylor Raddysh
3. Darren Raddysh 

TWEET OF THE GAME
NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs take on the WHL champion Seattle Thunderbirds tomorrow at 8 p.m.

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