HERD FALL SHORT OF UPSET AGAIN

STATION NATION RECAP
FINAL/SO: Sea Dogs 5, Mooseheads 4

HALIFAX – The only good thing that can come out of this game – the bounce back affect.

The Saint John Sea Dogs’ game against the Halifax Mooseheads on Friday night at the Metro Centre was viewed as nothing more than a road block for their tilt on Saturday in Moncton. Luckily, the Sea Dogs are good at responding after playing horrible hockey games.

The Sea Dogs managed to pull out of 5-4 shootout win over the Mooseheads after a late game comeback where they defied the odds and came back from two goals down in the third period. Tomas Jurco won the game in a shootout, an event the Sea Dogs have dominated this season.

If history repeats itself, Saint John should do very well on Saturday night at the Moncton Coliseum. Coming off a bad 6-4 loss in Montreal two weeks ago, the Sea Dogs won 8-0 the next day in Gatineau. Then last weekend, after a disappointing effort against Val-d’Or, the Dogs destroyed the same Foreurs team 11-0 the next day.

Scoring for Saint John was Nicholas Petersen with a pair, Tomas Jurco, and Michael Kirkpatrick. Halifax responded with regulation goals from Tomas Knotek, Gabriel Desjardins, Carl Gelinas, and Brent Andrews.

Saint John goaltender Karel St. Laurent struggled mightily in goal for the Dogs. A Halifax colour man on News 95.7 said he looked like he was wearing new equipment with wild rebounds being let go. The second year player also struggled with puck control again and refused to stay in the goal at times.

It was a back-and-forth first few minutes with both teams going end-to-end with the play. Nicholas Petersen had the first real good chance in the game, shooting the puck off the side of the net with Peter Delmas closing his hand on the object.

Not long after that at 4:29, Tomas Knotek opened the scoring for the Moose. A bad turn over in front cost the Sea Dogs as Knotek wristed a shot by St. Laurent blocker side to make the score 1-0 for the home side.

Saint John started to gain some momentum however. Stanislav Galiev centered the puck but nobody was in front. Kevin Gagne fired a shot high and wide followed by Steven Anthony being tied up on a good chance, resulting in a Halifax penalty call.

On the power play, Petersen tipped in a point shot at 9:25 to tie the game at 1-1. The goal gave the 20-year old his league leading 20th road goal of the season.

Following the goal, Danick Gauthier dinged a shot off the post. St. Laurent decided to tune into the game as he took away a goal from Knotek with the leather.

Delmas stoned Galiev with a right pad save. The Russian import was denied off a nice cross crease effort from Delmas, a Colorado draft pick.

Shots after one were 14-6 for Saint John.

Steven Anthony took down Garret Clarke at 1:17 to give the Moose a power play chance. The league leader's in fewest goals scored this season didn’t have any trouble working a solid man advantage. It was all Halifax, with a Carl Gelinas shot tipped wide to go alone with some immense pressure.

Saint John didn’t have any luck after that with Petersen taking two for frustration at 6:08. On the power play, Konrad Abeltshauser fed Desjardins who beat St. Laurent with a quick wrist shot to give the Moose back the lead by score of 2-1.

At 8:47, the Mooseheads took a too many men on the ice penalty. On the man advantage, Saint John had some great chances. Danick Gauthier tried to cut across the crease with the puck on his stck but sent the disc wide of the goal. The was the final great opportunity on the power play for the Dogs.

Mike Hoffman had a great one time chance after that, with Delmas somehow stopping the puck through a huge amount of traffic.

After some rough stuff involving Petersen, Zach Phillips did some nice work to carry the pick into the zone. The puck then found its way to Tomas Jurco in front who continued his new year tear by tying the game 2-2 at 15:03.

Shortly after the goal at 17:31, Gauthier took a roughing penalty. Back on the p.p. the Moose had some good pressure but few shots as the Dogs kept Halifax to only making pases.

Shots in the second period were 9-4 Saint John.

Galiev had a good wrist shot stopped by Delmas to start the final frame. Following the goal, Clarke leveled Anthony in front of his home town Halifax crowd.

There was a lot of back-and-forth junk in the third with both teams having some good chances and caught on odd man rushes.

Gauthier fed Mike Thomas with a nice pass that was one timed off former Saint John Vito Jamie Bishop and went wide.

Halifax struck at 9:34 when Gelinas scored a beauty going backhand-to-forehand and roofing the puck up and over St. Laurent to make it 3-2 Moose.

Jonathan Huberdeau had a great chance to tie the game in the slot by ripping a blast off the crossbar. Then Jurco had another great chance on a turnover in front but Delmas stood tall in his crease.

Halifax made it a two goal game at 11:27 when a weak Brent Andrews wrist shot fooled the Saint John net minder to make it 4-2.

But hold on – Petersen scored 26 seconds later on a blast that had the Metro Centre faithful beginning to think about putting their paper bags over their heads again as the game became a one goal event.

Clarke elbowed Gagne at 18:13 to give the Sea Dogs one last chance on the power play. Who else other than Michael Kirkpatrick scored at 19:18 to tie the affair at 4-4. The play was set up by Simon Despres behind the net and centered to Kirkpatrick who blew the puck by Delmas.

Shot in the third period were 9-5 Sea Dogs.

The Mooseheads' goaltending coach summed overtime up the best, saying both teams were so shocked to be in overtime that neither team wanted to play. So they went to a shootout.

St. Laurent was money in the breakaway challenge, stopping all three Moosehead shooters. Tomas Jurco netted the winner in the second round, giving the Sea Dogs a 5-4 victory.

SEA DOGS – MOOSEHEADS GAME AT A GLANCE
Final Score/Shootout: Saint John 5, Halifax 4
Saint John Goals: Nicholas Petersen (31, 32), Tomas Jurco (19), and Michael Kirkpatrick (22)
Halifax Goals: Tomas Knotek (19), Gabriel Desjardins (5), Carl Gelinas (14), and Brent Andrews (5)
Winning Goaltender: SNB – St. Laurent, Karel (15-3-0)
Losing Goaltender: HAL – Delmas, Peter (18-13-0)
News 88.9 Top Dog: Not available

THE NUMBERS
Power Play: Mooseheads 1/3, Sea Dogs 2/4
Shots on Goal: Mooseheads: 6+4+5+5=20, Sea Dogs: 14+9+9+3=35
Attendance: 5,676

SAINT JOHN SCRATCHES
Steven Anthony and Christian Morin both returned from concussions in this game. Nicholas Pard and Gabriel Bourret were scratched for Saint John.

WHAT A BROADCAST
It certainly was interesting not having Tim Roszell behind the mic. John Moore of News 95.7 had a hard time throughout the game treating the Sea Dogs like his favourite team along with the Mooseheads.

The sound quality was excellent and the intermission was insane. I like sound effects.

STRUGGLING ST. LAURENT
It’s becoming an old story. Four goals on 20 shots – enough said.

QUICK HITS
Halifax did a great job at blocking shots and passes… both Wayne Long and Scott McCain were in the Metro Centre press box. Unfortunately, News 95.7 can’t afford a third microphone… a Flyers scout was in the building and joined John Moore in the second intermission. He said he expects Galiev to go in the top two rounds of the NHL draft.

NEXT GAME
Rivalry Cup game six goes at the Cage in Moncton Saturday night. Saint John vs Moncton at 7:00 pm. Should be a good one.