POSTSCRIPT: Rocket 4, Sea Dogs 6

SEA DOGS –ROCKET GAME AT A GLANCE

Final Score: PEI 4, Saint John 6

Saint John Goals: Kevin Gagne, Ryan Tesink (2), Tomas Jurco (2), and Jonathan Huberdeau

PEI Goals: Travis McIsaac, Jordan Escott, Ben Duffy, and Josh Currie
Winning Goaltender: SNB – Karel St. Laurent
Losing Goaltender: PEI – Evan Mosher
News 88.9 Top Dog: Jonathan Huberdeau

THE NUMBERS
Power Play: Rocket: 0/4, Sea Dogs: 0/5
Shots on Goal: Rocket: 11+4+12=27, Sea Dogs: 16+7+11=34
Length: 2:15
Attendance: 4,522

SAINT JOHN SCRATCHES
Missing from the Sea Dogs lineup because of National Hockey League Rookie/Training Camps were: Simon Despres (Pittsburgh), Mike Thomas (Edmonton), Steven Anthony (Vancouver), Stephen MacAulay (St. Louis), and Stanislav Galiev (Washington).

Also not in the lineup was the newly acquired Dylan McGuigan.

RECAP
It was a back-and-forth battle Friday night at Harbour Station; a game that eventually saw the Saint John Sea Dogs top the PEI Rocket 6-4 in the season opener for both squads.

Kevin Gagne opened up the scoring early in the first period. But just under 10 minutes later at 14:25, Travis McIsaac evened the game at 1-1.

The Rocket would take the lead at 16:47 after a weak Jordan Escott shot trickled through the pads of Karel St. Laurent. But under two minutes later, Ryan Tesink tied the affair with his first career QMJHL goal. Just over a minute later, Duffy would pull PEI ahead again with a long range slap shot going off the crossbar and in. But as the first frame winded down, Tomas Jurco sent the two teams to the dressing room tied at 3-3 after recording his first goal of the 2010-11 campaign.

In the second, Jonathan Huberdeau gave the sea Dogs their much coveted lead back with some hard work in the crease area.

In the final frame, the Rocket would tie the game up for the last time at 12:08 after Josh Currie found the back-of-the-net. Jurco would give Saint John their lead back at 13:11, fighting off two defensemen on a partial breakaway to score his second of the game. Tesink would add the the insurance marker on an empty net goal, giving the Dogs a 6-4 win.

RAISE THEM UP
Two banners were raised prior to the game to honor the Sea Dogs' 2009-10 Atlantic Division and Regular Season championships. Sea Dogs CEO Scott McCain and some members of the Sea Dogs’ major sponsors stood at center ice as the banners rose to the Harbour Station rafters.

It was the first banner raising in team history.

The two large banners were hung in the east end of the facility between the Canadian and American national flags – albeit a few rows of rafters ahead of them. The banners were risen using rope and a metal poll, indicating that the two signs have not been permanently put up yet.

BIG GAME FOR THE ROOKIES
Several rookies stepped up their games with many regulars away at NHL camps this week.

Ryan Tesink, a Saint John native and the Sea Dogs’ first round pick in this past spring’s QMJHL Entry Draft, recorded his first career goal and assist in his first ever game. After getting his first goal in the first period, Tesink jumped and threw himself into the corner glass.

With the QMJHL website down we cannot check this, but Andrew McGilligan brought up a good point on the News 88.9 post-game show. He asked if Tesink was the first Saint John native to score a goal at Harbour Station wearing a Sea Dogs jersey. The only name that Tim Roszell could think of who may have scored previously was Mike Neil, who played with the Dogs during the 2005-06 campaign.

Devon Oliver-Dares, who recorded no points and was a -1, also had a strong game and played the role of a pest at times. He was cut from the team last week but was recalled to help fill the roster vacancies.

PEPSI MOVES IN
The much awaited move (for some anyways) to Pepsi was in full effect last night at Harbour Station.

All the vending machines at the concession stands featured Pepsi products, there was a new board ad, and the giant Coca-Cola ad that once sat below the luxury suites was replaced.

NEW GOAL HORN
The Sea Dogs are going Edmonton Oilers style with their goal horn this year.


Ignore the song in the background.

FOOL ME ONCE…
We assume Matthew Buckley is once again in control of the video production at Harbour Station this season. We will never forgive him for the trick he played last night.


The screen didn’t turn on until the pre-game introductions. As a commercial played, lines and other junk were all over the screen. Everyone was feeling uneasy; Mayor Ivan Court looked like he wanted to hide under his seat.

But as the video showed the clock being assembled, the quality switched over to beautiful high definition picture, allowing everyone in the building to give a sigh of relief and a loud round of clapping.

The usual graphics and stuff that are the norm in most rinks were displayed. The new video should change the lives of all Sea Dogs fans.

NEW BEER STANDS
Harbour Station got some sweet stands to sell alcoholic beverages at this season. The Saint John Mill Rats logo is on one side while the Sea Dogs’ is on the other. This photo is from the Mill Rats Facebook page.

POST-GAME HIGHLIGHTS
We got a few people asking us about the post-game highlights this year.

We asked the Sea Dogs on Twitter, and they told us that they are still working the kinks out of putting the HD video into YouTube form. Sounds as though SeaDogsTV is going to back once again this year.

EXTRA STUFF
Station Nation photographer Marc Henwood’s shots can be seen on the SN Facebook page.

Last night’s game can be relived through the SN Live Blog replay.

QUICK HITS
Saint John is now 4-2 all-time is season openers… in home openers, Saint John improved to 4-2… banner magnets were handed out at the door… Travis McIsaac had a team high four hits for the Rocket… Ryan Tesink and Jonathan Huberdeau were both 4/4 in the faceoff circle… there was a moment of silence before the game for Chicoutimi Sagueneens co-owner Gervais Munger who passed away last week in a boating accident… Evan Mosher almost made it a 6-4 Sea Dogs game himself in the third. The Rocket ‘tender went behind the net to grab the disc only to have it hit a partition and land in the crease. Zach Phillips was there but couldn’t get a shot off… Nathan Beaulieu, who really impressed during the pre-season, was a -2 in the game.

NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs host the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles tonight at 7:00 pm.

The annual Sea Dogs Fan Fest will be held before the match between 4:00 and 6:00 pm at Harbour Station. There will be face painting, music, BBQ, etc.