BATHURST, NB –Two of the league’s top offensive teams went head-to-head on Sunday afternoon at the KC Irving Regional Centre, and it was the Saint John Sea Dogs coming out on top over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
Saint John’s top line of Jonathan Huberdeau, Zack Phillips, and Charlie Coyle combined for three goals and five assists in the 5-2 win over the Titan. Bathurst’s top line of Sebastien Trudeau, Zach O’Brien and Matthew Bissonnette recorded a goal, two assists and were each a -4.
The Sea Dogs got off to a rough start as the Titan scored two power play goals in the opening 4:37 of the game. But Saint John quickly recovered, scoring five unanswered goals – including three in the opening frame – en route to their 34th Quebec Major Junior Hockey League win of the season.
Phillips scored twice for the Sea Dogs while Coyle, Danick Gauthier and Charles-Olivier Roussel added singles. Jonathan Huberdeau had three assists. Sebastien Auger had another strong game in net, making 30 saves for the win.
Bathurst had goals from O’Brien and Mirko Hoefflin. Robert Steeves allowed five goals on 23 shots in the loss.
The win puts Saint John into a tie for first-place overall in the league with the Shawinigan Cataractes with 70 points each. Shawinigan has however played one fewer game.
The victory was also significant because it was the Sea Dogs’ first win in Bathurst this season. They have struggled against the Titan this year, winning just two of the six head-to-head meetings. This was the final meeting between the two that will be played in northern New Brunswick.
FIRST PERIOD
The first period was a wild one. At 2:56, Nathan Beaulieu was called boarding and picked up an unsportsmanlike penalty as well, giving Bathurst a four-minute power play.
On the ensuing the power play, the Titan opened the scoring. At 3:13, Zach O’Brien took a pass and beat Saint John goaltender Sebastien Auger five-hole to give the home team a 1-0 advantage.
Still on the man advantage at 4:37, Mirko Hoefflin fired a wrist shot from the top of the umbrella and beat Auger to give the Titan a 2-0 lead.
But the Sea Dogs wouldn’t just play dead for the rest of the frame. At 6:47, Charles-Olivier Roussel got the Saint John on the board. Roussel banged home a loose puck to make it a 2-1 game.
The Sea Dogs tied it up at 9:35. Charlie Coyle was at the side of the net and centered it. The puck hit something and went in past Robert Steeves to make it a 2-2 contest.
A little later on, Stephen MacAulay had a short breakaway but sent the puck wide on a deke.
At 12:53, the Sea Dogs took the lead. Zack Phillips fed Jonathan Huberdeau but the play didn’t result in a great scoring chance. Phillips got the puck again and fired it on goal and past Steeves to give Saint John a 3-2 lead.
Saint John headed to the power play at 13:14 but couldn’t get much going.
Shots in the opening period of play were 11-8 in favour of the Titan.
SECOND PERIOD
Bathurst headed to the power play just 41 seconds into the second period after Huberdeau ran into Steeves. While shorthanded, Danick Gauthier had a decent chance but sent the puck high and wide. The Titan didn’t have any good scoring opportunities on the man advantage.
The Sea Dogs made it a 4-2 game at 3:45. Huberdeau made a nice spin pass to a streaking Phillips who fired a wrist shot past Steeves to extend Saint John’s lead and give him his second goal of the afternoon.
At 5:34, Robert Davis and Ian Saab dropped the gloves in front of the penalty boxes for a long scrap that featured a few good punches thrown.
Soon after the fight, Hoefflin tipped the puck just wide. Saint John headed to the power play at 8:35 but couldn’t get much going.
They headed back to the power play at 11:21 and they would strike this time. Gauthier fired a hard shot through some traffic and past Steeves to give the Dogs a 5-2 advantage.
A little later on, Huberdeau cut in on goal with some speed but ran out of room and couldn’t get a good shot off.
Grant West was called for spearing at 16:57, giving Bathurst a four-minute power play to work with, one that would carry over into the third period.
Shots in the middle stanza were 11-7 in favour of the Dogs.
THIRD PERIOD
The Sea Dogs killed off West’s penalty to start the period. Soon after, Phillips had a decent chance down low but was denied.
After that, both teams started to take a bunch of penalties. Just as one was expiring around the 13-minute mark, Jurco went in alone but was stopped by the pad of Steeves.
Auger was solid in the final frame, making 14 saves. Saint John was only able to get four shots on net.
The Sea Dogs went 1-for-5 on the power play while Bathurst went 2-for-7.
NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow on SN.
NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs battle the Moncton Wildcats on Thursday night at Harbour Station.
Photo Credit: Marc Henwood/Station Nation
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