GATINEAU PUSHED TO THE BRINK

STATION NATION POST-GAME
FINAL: Sea Dogs 6, Olympiques 0

GATINEAU – Marco Cousineau knows how to win in the playoffs.

And as it turns out, the 20-year goaltender knows how to win at the Robert Guertin Arena. Cousineau picked up his second shutout of the season at “The Bob” thanks to a dominating 6-0 by the Saint John Sea Dogs in game three of their quarter-final playoff series.

The Sea Dogs dominated all aspects of the game - except for penalties taken. 22 calls were handed out on the night with the Gatineau Olympiques getting 13 of those.

Cousineau stopped all 18 shots he faced. Gatineau goaltender Maxime Clermont stopped 33 shots before giving way to Derek Tait in the third period.

Michael Kirkpatrick and Nathan Beaulieu both scored a pair of goals while singles came from Nicholas Petersen and Jonathan Huberdeau.

Just 17 seconds into the game, Mike Hoffman was tossed from the game after he laid a huge hit on Adam Janosik behind the net. The league’s MVP was given a charging major and game misconduct following his actions. On the penalty kill, Mike Thomas had a good chance as he picked up a loose puck in front but was stopped by Clermont. Then Cousineau came up big in the Saint John net, stopping a ‘Piques with the leather. Then Benjamin Lalberte was stoned on a one timer in close.

Denis Kindl headed to the box at 3:15 after he took down Steven Anthony. That was quickly cancelled out with Yann Sauve taking a cross checking call at 4:34. On the four-on-three opportunity, Tye McGinn broke through the defence but sent his shot wide.

After Alex Noel took a penalty at 6:12, the Sea Dogs power play went to work. Nicholas Petersen sent a long cross ice pass to Michel Kirkpatrick who made a nice move to get into the high slot area. Kirkpatrick wired a shot over the shoulder of Clermont to make it a 1-0 Saint John lead.

Saint John native Ben Miller went to the box for a knee at 7:10. Saint John had some good pressure but could not score on the man advantage. Shortly after at 9:26, Hubert Labrie was sentenced to the box. Nathan Beaulieu had the best chance when he accepted a pass and was left all alone at the hash mark. Beaulieu wound and unleashed a shot that nearly killed Clermont, but the Gatineau goaltender made the lucky and unconventional pad save.

Saint John made it 2-0 at 14:40. Simon Despres centered to Kirkpatrick from behind the net. The 19-year old Sea Dogs center batted the puck in in the crease to double Saint John’s lead.

After killing off a Jonathan Huberdeau penalty, Beaulieu went to the box at 17:39. On the power play, the Olympiques had some good pressure but could not get any good shots off. To end the period, (everyone’s favourite) Hugo Laporte unleashed a hack saw in the form of a hockey stick and nailed Huberdeau in the leg.

Shots after one were 12-4 Saint John.

Tomas Jurco had a good chance early in the second but ripped his shot in close wide. Petersen made a great play moments later, walking around a Gatineau defenseman while cutting through the crease. Clermont kept focus though, and made the blocker save.

With Kirkpatrick in the box for slashing at 2:22, Christian Morin leveled Alex Noel at the blue line. Gatineau had an okay power play, a man advantage that clearly improved from the first period.

Philippe Halley had a good chance for ‘Piques after the power play expired, pouncing on a loose puck in close but wristed a shot off the pad of Cousineau. Zach Phillips almost scored at the other end, making some nice moves to get in close to the Gatineau goal but was stopped.

Gabriel Bourret got called for cross checking at 10:41. When that expired, Nicholas Petersen headed to the box at 14:41. On the Petersen power play, Noel was left alone at the side of the net but Cousineau made the huge stop to keep the momentum going in Saint John’s favour.

With Alexander Beaton in the box for goaltender interference to even play up, Kirkpatrick fed Huberdeau who skated in by an injured Hubert Labrie and went high blocker on Clermont to make it 3-0 at 15:14.

Saint John was given a long five-on-three following the goal with McGinn and Laporte taking penalties eight seconds apart. The Sea Dogs could not get anything going on the extended man advantage though, and blew a good chance to open up the game.

Beaton took a penalty late in the third at 19:44, giving Saint John a power play to open the third.
Shots in the middle stanza were 16-8 for the visitors.

With Labrie joining Beaton in the box, Saint John headed to a long five-on-three power play. On the extra man attack, Beaulieu ripped a point shot that went through traffic and Clermont to make it 4-0 Saint John.

The Sea Dogs made it 5-0 at 5:07. Despres sent a long pass to a waiting Petersen at the blue line. The overager went in on a breakaway and beat Clermont five hole on his backhand. That goal forced Clermont out of the goal in exchange for backup Derek Tait.

Beaulieu scored his second of the period at 7:26. The play started after the Saint John defenseman was hit from behind in the Sea Dogs zone. He quickly got up, with Petersen ready to get in a scrap - but the whistle never blew. With every player on the ice backing off from the play, Huberdeau fed Beaulieu who went alone and beat Tait just inside the post.

Petersen had a break later in the game on a four-on-four chance but he ran out of room to make the deke.

Gatineau finally showed some life late with McGinn firing a shot wide at the side of the goal. Then Beaulieu played an Olympiques two-on-one beautifully, breaking it up with his stick.

At 14:05 Olivier Croteau took a penalty. At 16:28 McGinn took a penalty. At 18:58 Laporte went to the box. Then at 19:53, Croteau headed back to the box. It was just that kind of night for the Olympiques.

Shots in the third period were 14-6 Saint John.

NEWS 88.9 TOP DOG: Simon Despres

SAINT JOHN SCRATCHES: Kevin Gagne did not travel with the team to Gatineau because of a bad knee. Tyrone Sock and Aiden Kelly, both healthy, also did not make the trip. Will Johnston served the last game of his suspension.

NOTES: News 88.9’s Tim Roszell said that there was a large contingent of Sea Dogs fans in the crowd… Gatineau mascot Hully was pumped before the game… Stanislav Galiev’s mother was in attendance… after being ejected from the game, Mike Hoffman sat with his family for the rest of the tilt. There was no doubt several Ottawa Senators scouts at the game hoping to get a glimpse of their prospect… Adam Janosik, the victim of the Hoffman hit, returned to the game but quickly left again… 22 penalties were called in the game… 49 penalty minutes were handed out… Simon Despres had four assists… Hugo Laporte had four penalty minutes... five of Saint John's nine penalties were cross checks... Gatineau had six slashing calls.

NEXT GAME: Game four goes tomorrow at 8:30 at Robert Guertin Arena.