RECAP: One Win Away. Dogs Win 6-4.

FINAL: Saint John 6, Rimouski 4

RIMOUSKI, Que. – The Saint John Sea Dogs are a win away from their second straight Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Championship.

The Sea Dogs defeated the Rimouski Oceanic 6-4 on Wednesday night Colisee de Rimouski. Saint John now leads the best-of-seven President’s Cup final 3-0 heading into Game 4 tomorrow night. If the Dogs win tomorrow, they will win the President’s Cup and book a trip to Shawinigan to play in the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament.

Danick Gauthier recorded two goals while singles came from Charles Roussel, Stephen MacAulay, Stanislav Galiev and Tomas Jurco. Goaltender Mathieu Corbeil made 23 saves for his 15^th playoff win.

Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Alexandre Mallet, Petr Straka, and Francis Beuvillier scored for the Oceanic. Jacob Gervais-Chouinard allowed five goals on 20 shots before getting the hook. Carl Hozjan allowed one goal on four shots in relief.

It was just 1-1 after one and stayed that way until late in the second. The Dogs scored two goals within a 33 second span to lead 3-1 after two. It was 5-2 at one point in the third but the Oceanic would storm back to get within goal. But that would be as close as they would get on this night, sliding into a huge hole heading into Game 4 tomorrow.

It was a penalty filled affair – especially in the first period – but the Oceanic struggled on the power play, finishing the match at 1/7. The Sea Dogs’ penalty kill was solid as was Corbeil who made several big stops throughout the game.

Game 4 is Thursday night at 8:30pm and can be seen on TVA Sports.

FIRST PERIOD

Petr Straka had a great chance early on a partial break but was stopped by Sea Dogs netminder Mathieu Corbeil.

Corbeil had to make few more good stops up until 6:26 when Maxime Villemaire headed to the box. The penalties just kept coming after that. Rimouski was called for too many men at 7:34 and then Tomas Jurco headed off at 7:51.

During some of that four-on-four, Charles Roussel made it 1-0 Saint John at 8:53, beating Jacob Chouinard blocker side on a three-on-one play.

Then at 9:56, Danick Gauthier was called for slashing. The Oceanic would connect on the power play as a Jerome Gauthier-Leduc shot snuck past Corbeil and went across the line to make it a 1-1 contest.

Soon after that, Alex Belzile had a great chance but was stopped. Then during some rare even strength time, Chouinard made a nice stop on Nathan Beaulieu.

Saint John went to the man advantage at 18:59. Charlie Coyle had a terrific chance but hit the post while he was parked down low.

At the end of the period, Beaulieu took a slashing penalty.

Shots in the first were 12-11 in favour of the Sea Dogs.

SECOND PERIOD

Rimouski didn’t do anything with Beaulieu in the box so the game remained tied. Still early on in the frame, Corbeil made a few big saves once again to keep it tied.

It was somewhat uneventful second period. Tomas Jurco had a wraparound chance but was denied. Then a Ryan Tesink shot was deflected on goal but stopped by Chouinard. Soon after, Robbie DeFulviis put a huge on Tesink but he would be okay.

Saint John went to the power play at 14:12 as Bezile headed off. The Dogs had some good pressure on the man advantage but were unable create many solid scoring opportunities.

After the penalty expired, a bad line change by Saint John created a three-on-one for Rimouski. Alex Tanguay shot the puck only to be denied by the arm of Corbeil.

At 17:30, Stephen MacAulay was literally left all alone in front of the goal. Tesink passed the puck to him and he scored to give the Dogs a 2-1 advantage.

Then 33 seconds later, Jonathan Huberdeau fed Gauthier who scored to give the Dogs a huge 3-1 lead heading into intermission.

Shots were 6-6 in the middle stanza.

THIRD PERIOD

Alexandre Mallet scored just 18 seconds in to make it a 3-2 game.

But the Sea Dogs would quickly respond. Tomas Jurco fed Stanislav Galiev in front who scored his 13^th of the post-season to restore the two-goal lead for Saint John.

During some four-on-four at 1:31, Gauthier netted his second of the game when he beat Chouinard five-hole to give the Dogs a 5-2 edge. Carl Hozjan would replace Chouinard in goal after that one.

The Oceanic headed to the power play at 3:44 when Pierre Durepos headed off for delay of game but the Dogs would kill it off. Soon after, Hozjan made a big time stop as smothered the puck in the crease before it could cross the line.

Rimouski made it a 5-3 game at 11:03. Petr Straka fired a hard shot through some traffic and got past Corbeil to make it a two-goal game again.

Saint John then had to kill off a lengthy five-on-three after Jason Seed and Durepos took penalties at 13:25 and 13:38. But they would kill it off.

Despite killing it off, the Oceanic would make it a 5-4 game when Francis Beauvillier jammed the puck in at 16:05.

But the Sea Dogs would quickly get some insurance back when Jurco scored at 18:01 to make it 6-4. That is the way it would stand.

Shots were 10-6 Rimouski in the third.

The Oceanic went 1-for-7 on the power play while Saint John went 0-for-3.

NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow on SN.

NEXT GAME: Game 4 of this series is tomorrow night at 8:30pm in Rimouski.