News & Notes From Saturday's Game

Some stuff from last night’s game…

• The Titan are struggling these days to say the least. Bathurst has now lost 12 straight games and six straight at home. They have been in 14^th overall in the standings for forever but Saint John, Shawinigan, and Sherbrooke are only a few points back now.
• Bathurst led this game 2-1 entering the third. But two goals in a span of 1:05 early in the third seemed to spark the Sea Dogs. They would add two more goals to win 5-3. Saint John has struggled offensively over the past couple games – particularly in third periods. But last night the team recorded 17 shots and four goals in the final frame.
• Nathan Noel had been fairly quiet over the past few games but that changed last night. The rookie had his third three-point game of the season with a goal and two assists. He was named first star.
• Oliver Cooper had two goals. His second was his 20^th of the season.
• Jeremy Doucet had two assists against his former team.
• Jason Cameron had a rare multi-point night, registering a goal and an assist. He has goals in back-to-back games.
• Christopher Smith, recalled by the Sea Dogs this week, made his QMJHL debut. He made 26 saves for his first QMJHL win.
• Smith became the third Sea Dogs goaltender this season to win their first start of the year. He joins Antoine Landry and Sebastien Auger. For Landry and Smith, they picked up their first QMJHL win in their first start.
• With his empty net goal, Nicolas Hebert now has more points in 18 games with Saint John this season than in 35 games with Rimouski.
• Former Sea Dog Scott Oke had two assists for the Titan.
• Saint John moved back into the final playoff spot with the win. They are just two points back of 14^th-place Bathurst and have three games in-hand.
• Good crowd at the game. Attendance was 2,121.
• Due to technical difficulties at News 88.9, the first period was not broadcast. The rest of the game was, though, which was good.
• The Sea Dogs were without forwards Joey Richard (shoulder), Stephen Anderson (upper body), and Mathieu Joseph (healthy) along with defensemen Michael Abbott (hand) and Thomas Chabot (healthy). Goaltender Antoine Landry also remains out with a lower body injury.

NOTES: Olivier LeBlanc was hurt late in the third period… Saint John only had two power plays in the game… Nathan Noel and Oliver Cooper each had four shots… Jason Cameron was a +3… Nicolas Dumulong had five hits.

First qmjhl start and first win! #SeaDogs @SeaDogsHockey
— chris smith (@shmitty40) February 9, 2014

NEXT GAME: The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada take on the Sea Dogs this afternoon at Harbour Station. Note that this is a 4pm start.

Photo credit: Bryan Willett