Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Sea Dogs look to clinch on the road again

It was five years ago on this day that Jonathan Huberdeau lifted the President Cup above his head on Rimouski Oceanic ice.

On May 10, 2012, the Sea Dogs completed a four-game sweep of the Oceanic with a convincing 8-0 road victory, giving Saint John their second straight QMJHL championship. Saint John will look to repeat that success tonight when they take on the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in Game 4 of the 2017 President Cup Final. Like 2012, the Dogs enter Game 4 with a 3-0 series lead.

Saint John has won both of its previous President Cup titles on the road, winning in Gatineau in 2011 and Rimouski in 2012. The Sea Dogs, it seems, have a long history of winning big playoff games on the road. Of all the series wins Saint John has had over the years, only five have been decided on Harbour Station ice.

YearSeries WinGamesDeciding Game
20081st round vs PEI4Road
20082nd round vs BAT6Road
20101st round vs PEI5Home
20102nd round vs GAT4Road
20103rd round vs VIC6Home
20111st round vs CAP4Road
20112nd round vs VIC5Road
20113rd round vs LEW4Road
20114th round vs GAT6Road
20121st round vs CAP4Road
20122nd round vs BAC4Road
20123rd round vs CHI5Home
20124th round vs RIM4Road
20161st round vs BAT5Home
20162nd round vs CAP7Home
20171st round vs RIM4Road
20172nd round vs VAL4Road
20173rd round vs CHI6Road

If the Sea Dogs clinch the President Cup on the road this year, they will have clinched all four rounds away from Harbour Station, which they previously did in 2011.

Unlike the 2011 and 2012 championships, Saint John has not played any teams from within their division to get to this point. A President Cup championship would give the Sea Dogs franchise three titles, the most by any Maritimes team (we're not including the Laval Titan's titles). 

A win by the Dogs tonight would also be the first sweep in a President Cup final since Saint John did so in 2012.

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