DOGS GET THE MESSAGE

STATION NATION POST-GAME
FINAL: Sea Dogs 3, Rocket 0

CHARLOTTETOWN – Gerard Gallant knows how to send a message.

Following a disappointing 6-3 loss to the Prince Edward Island Rocket on Saturday at Harbour Station, the Saint John Sea Dogs head coach called out his defense.

Their response was as good as it gets.

The Sea Dogs shutout the Rocket 3-0 at the Charlottetown Civic Centre on Tuesday night and now own a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.

Scoring for Saint John was Jonathan Huberdeau, Danick Gauthier, and Mike Hoffman.

Marco Cousineau picked up his first shutout of the post-season by stopping all 24 shots he faced. The Sea Dogs goaltender and former Rocket was hardly challenged in goal as PEI had practically no traffic in front of him.

The Rocket went 0/5 on the power play while Saint John went 0/4.

Just 48 second into the game, Yann Sauve got called for elbowing. Saint John did a superb job on the penalty kill, not allowing a shot on goal in the two minute span. After a fast start with both teams skating hard, the pace slowed down considerably.

After PEI had some good pressure around Marco Cousineau, Christian Morin let a point shot go on Evan Mosher but was stopped easily as Nicholas Petersen missed the tip. Mike Hoffman let a wide range shot go shortly after with Mosher making the shoulder save and the rebound cleared away by a defenseman. Zach Phillips had the best chance early when he let a shot go on Mosher that caused a scramble in the crease.

Samson Mahbod got called for cross checking at 11:09. The Sea Dogs had some good pressure and a few quality shots early in the man advantage but failed to score.

Saint John made it 1-0 at 14:33 when Jonathan Huberdeau scored his second of the post-season. Huberdeau was situated below the goal line and sent a trickling shot on net. Mosher was caught off guard with the puck going off his shoulder and in to give the Dogs their first lead since the second period on Saturday.

Mike Thomas had the last chance set up a goal in the frame, as he centered for Danick Gauthier but the puck rolled off his stick.

Shots in the first period were 12-5 for the visitors.

Before play started in the second period, Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant flipped out in front of his home province crowd after being called for an “illegal substitution.” The Rocket could not find the net on the power play and failed to score.

The Sea Dogs bench got their revenge at 2:21 when Danick Gauthier got his first. Stephen MacAulay fed the streaking Gauthier as he crossed the blue line with the draft eligible forward roofing a quick shot over Mosher to make it a 2-0 game.

Saint John had lots of pressure after the goal until Louis-Philippe Lacroix nailed Kevin Gagne along the boards with a big hit. But the Dogs bounced back after the hit, with Stanislav Galiev all alone in the slot but had his shot blocked at the last minute.

Galiev got called for tripping at 9:53, but the Rocket were unsuccessful on the power play again and failed to register a shot on goal.

Gauthier then had a great chance as he cut through the outer rim of the PEI crease with the puck on his stick. But net minder Evan Mosher made a great play with the paddle to keep the shot from entering the crease.

With Jonathan Bonneau in the box at 16:16, Galiev was robbed at the side of the net by the leather of Mosher. That would be the best opportunity for the Port City on the man advantage.

After Michael Stinziani had a good chance broken up by Sauve, Saint John managed to extend their lead shortly after. Simon Despres entered the PEI zone and let a bad angle shot on Mosher. The puck bounced off the goaltenders pad where Mike Hoffman sat with the empty net. That made it 3-0 Dogs at 19:53.

Petersen almost made it a 4-0 game off a faceoff at center ice in the final 10 seconds. The 20-year old had two good chances on Mosher but was denied on both.

Shots in the second were 7-6 in favour of Canada’s smallest province.

Petersen let a hard shot go to start the third period that hit Mosher square in the shoulder area. The Rocket net minder laid face first on the ice for a few moments before going back to his goal posts.

Simon Despres got sent to the box at 6:12. Samson Mahbod almost got the Rocket back in the contest when he sent a shot that banked off Sauve and sat in the crease for a moment. But that would be the best chance for the Rocket on the power play.

Jordon Southorn knocked down Petersen at 9:58. On the Saint John man advantage, the best chance came when a point shot went wide and bounced back into the crease, forcing Mosher to close the pads on the tricky play.

After Jarrad Struthers was stopped on a turn over in close by Cousineau, Despres got called for delay of game at 14:35. But that was quickly cancelled out after a Benjamin Casavant hit took down Thomas at 15:06.

Galiev had the last good chance on a breakaway but sent the shot high and over the net to keep this game at 3-0.

Shots in the third were 12 apiece. Saint John outshot PEI 30-24 in the game.

SCRATCHES: Aiden Kelly missed the game with a concussion. Kelly is beginning to ride the stationary bike again but no time for his return has been set. Steven Anthony missed his second straight game with a groin injury. Chuckie Schembri took Anthony’s spot in the line-up. Gabriel Bourret was a healthy scratch.

NOTES: Mike Thomas returned from a six game suspension… Yann Sauve was booed by the Rocket faithful throughout the game after his elbow in the first period… this was Marco Cousineau’s second straight shutout win at the Civic Centre… with Travis Fullerton being the only other Saint John net minder to record a playoff shutout, Cousineau ties a franchise record… former Sea Dog Alexandre Leduc was at this game. He was also at Saturday’s game in Saint John… Simon Despres was on the ice for all three goals while Adam Polasek of the Rocket was also on the sheet... comment from"Guest" on Charles Reid's live blog: "well crap."

NEWS 88.9 TOP DOG: Marco Cousineau

REPORT FOR THE REPORTER: According to Guardian reporter Charles Reid’s live blog, Scott Briggs of the Telegraph-Journal said that the Sea Dogs were testing the Civic Centre boards at morning practice for bounces.

TRIPLE TUESDAY: This was the third Tuesday game of the season for Saint John with all of them being played against the Rocket. The Dogs are 2-1 in those games.

STRANGE CALL: A bizarre penalty call was given to the Dogs to start the second period after Saint John pulled off an illegal player switch. Here is what the NHL Rule Book says about “Illegal Substitutions:”

68.1 Illegal Substitution – An illegal substitution shall be deemed to have occurred when a player enters the game illegally from either the players’ bench (teammate not within the five (5) foot limit, refer to Rule 74 – Too Many Men on the Ice), from the penalty bench (penalty has not yet expired), when a major penalty is being served and the replacement player does not return to the ice from the penalty bench (see 68.2), or when a player illegally enters the game for the sole purpose of preventing an opposing player from scoring on a breakaway (see 68.3 and 68.4).

To read more click HERE.

NEXT GAME: Game four goes tomorrow in Charlottetown at 7:00 pm.