RECAP: Thinking Pink. Dogs Win 4-3.

FINAL: PEI 3, Saint John 4 (OT)

By Tim Lumsden

SN Staff

SAINT JOHN – The Saint John Sea Dogs took on the PEI Rocket on Friday as the Dogs held their annual Pink in the Rink game. 4,018 fans crowded into Harbour Station to cheer on their team as well as help raise some money for Breast Cancer Research.

Sebastien Auger took the net for Saint John, sporting his new pink jersey. Antoine Bibeau defended the net for PEI.

FIRST PERIOD

3:25 into the first and the first fight of the evening exploded out of nowhere between Patrick McGrath and Michael Mastrangelo. Fans wondered what brought that one on. Was someone being a little pushy or was this left over animosity from a previous game?

Two minutes later, Devon Oliver-Dares headed to the box for interference as one of the Rocket was sent careening into their own bench.

Erik Robichaud of the PEI Rocket sent the Sea Dogs to the power play as he was called for tripping at 6:36.

Matthew Bursey and Jurij Repe took roughing penalties at 15:40. It was apparent early on that things could get rough quickly.

SECOND PERIOD

Alexis Pepin got five minutes and a game misconduct for checking to the head at 3:10.

Numerous opportunities came for Saint John during the power play. They were unable to break through PEI's defences until Stephen MacAulay put one past Bibeau, assisted by Jason Seed and Aidan Kelly, with just 23 seconds left on the Rocket penalty.

Devon Oliver-Dares took a seat in the box at 9:12 for roughing.

12:26 saw the second goal of the game scored by Jakub Izacky. Not only was it the second Sea Dogs goal, but it was also an unassisted one.

MacAulay was sent off at 13:30 for slashing.

THIRD PERIOD

Jonathan Huberdeau started things off in the third with a penalty, just 54 seconds into the period, for interference.

That was all that the Rocket needed as Ben Duffy slid one by Auger to put PEI on the board at 1:09.

Deverick Ottereyes skated off to the box to serve his two minutes for cross checking at 2:33.

Saint John raised the score 3-1 as Olivier LeBlanc scored for the Sea Dogs thanks to assists from Stephen MacAulay and Andreas Tsogkas at 3:22

That goal was soon answered by Rocket forward Josh Currie at 4:43. He brought PEI one step closer to tying the game with the help of Alexandre Chenier-Allard and Tom Pavelka.

Things continued to get rough as Louick Marcotte Was sent off at 6:38 for a penalty call of checking to the head. Moments later Josh Currie tied the game 3-3 with an unassisted shorthanded goal.

Just when things were looking up for Saint John, Jason Cameron was handed a checking to the head penalty as well as given a game misconduct at 9:23.

A little over a minute later, Erik Robichaud of the PEI Rocket, was called for checking from behind.

With a tied score of 3-3, the game went into overtime after nine action packed minutes of intense pressure from both teams.

OVERTIME

It was as if everything fell into place for Saint John as they made it to the midway point of the overtime period. It would be Kevin Gagne who scored the game winning point for Saint John, banging in a Jonathan Huberdeau rebound.

Total shots on goal for the game were 39-38 in favour of Saint John.

NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow on SN.

NEXT GAME: Saint John takes on the Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Sunday afternoon. Puck drops at Harbour Station at 3:00pm.