BATHURST – Oliver Cooper was the only Saint John Sea Dog
who could score on Sunday afternoon in Bathurst.
Cooper scored Saint John’s lone goal in a 4-1 loss to the
Acadie-Bathurst Titan in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at the KC
Irving Regional Centre. The Titan improved to 2-0-0-0 on the year while the Sea
Dogs fell to 1-1-0-0.
The Sea Dogs fired 30 shots on Mason McDonald but could
only break through the Titan netminder once. Another factor in Saint John’s
loss was their power play. The Sea Dogs went 0-for-7 on the man advantage.
Bathurst is a perfect 13-for-13 on the penalty kill this year.
The Sea Dogs dressed three rookie defensemen so they were
a bit shaky in their own end at times in this game. Goaltender Antoine Landry
started again in place of the injured Sebastien Auger and was good,
making 27 saves in the loss.
Anthony Gingras, Adam Stevens, Alexandros Soumakis, and
Raphael Lafontaine scored for the Titan. McDonald made 29 saves for the win in
net.
These two teams meet again on Saturday night in Saint
John.
FIRST PERIOD
Bathurst had a couple good scoring chances in the first
10 minutes but, for the most part, it was a fairly uneventful first half of
this period.
The Titan opened the scoring at 13:38 as a cross ice feed
from Lafontaine found Gingras who fired a shot over the glove of Landry to make
it 1-0.
Less than a minute later, Lucas Grundy and Lukas Walter
dropped the gloves and were ready to go but the linesmen broke it up before they
could start. They each received delay of game penalties.
At 15:31 during the four-on-four play, Stevens scored to
make it 2-0 Bathurst.
Not surprisingly, Grundy and Walter dropped the gloves
just as they stepped out of the penalty boxes. What a tilt this one was. Grundy
was really throwing them early in the fight but then Walter came back with some
of his own. Both players got some good shots in before it ended.
Saint John was a awarded a power play late in the frame
but could not connect before the period ended. Shots in the first were 16-8 in
favour of the Titan.
SECOND PERIOD
The Sea Dogs opened the period with 55 seconds of power
play time but could not generate any solid scoring opportunities.
The Titan headed to the power play at 9:47 for the first
time in this game. Much like Saint John, they could not get a whole lot going.
The Sea Dogs produced a pretty good penalty kill.
The Sea Dogs headed back to the power play at 12:39.
Matthew Highmore was sprung on a breakaway but the play was just offside and
whistled dead. Unfortunate times. The Dogs had some pressure on late in the man
advantage but could not beat McDonald.
Uneventful second period. Shots were 9-7 in favour of Saint John.
Uneventful second period. Shots were 9-7 in favour of Saint John.
THIRD PERIOD
Mathieu Leclerc was sent off for hooking at 3:38 followed
by Francois Godin at 4:09 to give Saint John a huge five-on-three power play
opportunity. The Sea Dogs were buzzing in the offensive zone and got some shots
on net but could not beat McDonald in the Titan net.
Kelly Bent was called for high sticking at 6:41 and it would be
costly. At 6:57, Alex Andros Soumakis scored to give Bathurst a 3-0 advantage.
The Sea Dogs had a great chance just moments after the
Titan goal. Connor Donaghey carried the puck into the zone on a three-on-one.
He then fed Nathan Noel who went back to Donaghey but was denied by McDonald.
But Saint John would not be denied at 8:13 as Cooper
scored to put the Dogs back in it.
The Dogs were given another power play chance at 9:20 as
Grundy was called for roughing. But once again Saint John could not cash in.
A few moments after the power play, Stephen Anderson
fired a shot past McDonald but hit the crossbar.
That was basically it. Shots were 13-8 Saint John in the
third and 31-30 Titan overall.
Bathurst went 2-for-4 on the power play while Saint John
went 0-for-7.
NOTES: We’ll have some posted tomorrow.
NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Titan on Saturday night
at Harbour Station.
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