RECAP: Sea Dogs Win 3-2

FINAL: Saint John 3, Halifax 2 (OT)

By Lorne Webster | SN Staff

HALIFAX - In the third game in three nights for both teams, the Saint John Sea Dogs came away with a hard fought 3-2 overtime win over the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday night at Scotiabank Centre. 

Thomas Chabot would be the hero for Saint John when he snuck behind the Halifax defence and beat Eric Brassard with a lovely deke on a breakaway with a mere 38.9 seconds left in OT. Sam Povorozniouk and Kyle Ward also scored for Saint John. Andrew Shewfelt and Taylor Ford replied for Halifax.   

1st Period

The Sea Dogs got off to a fast start in this game. Adam Bateman's slap shot from outside the blue line, barely nine seconds in, rang off the post but stayed out. At 4:20, Povorozniouk curled into the high slot and wired a wrist shot past Brassard. Both goaltenders made a number of big saves the rest of the way - highlighted by Alex Bishop's stop on Danny Moynihan's breakaway attempt close to the seven minute mark - to keep the score 1-0 for Saint John after one.

2nd Period

Before the six minute mark, Ward stuffed home the rebound of a Luke Green wraparound attempt to give the Sea Dogs a 2-0 lead. At 9:27, rookie Nico Blachman dropped the mitts with former Sea Dog Kelly Bent in a spirited scrap, which resulted in game misconducts for a "staged fight." At 13:46, a turnover by the Sea Dogs found its way to Shewfelt in the high slot and he fired a shot to the top corner over Bishop's glove to make it 2-1. Just over two minutes later, another turnover bounced to Ford in front of Bishop and he swiped the puck just over the Sea Dogs netminder's blocker to tie the game at 2-2.  

   

3rd Period

Early in the third, Brassard made a huge glove save to rob Spencer Smallman on a shorthanded breakaway to keep the game tied. The Mooseheads thought they had scored with under five minutes left, but it was ruled 'no goal' as Ilya Putintsev had bowled over Bishop and then pushed the puck over the line with the Sea Dogs goalie lying in the net.   

Overtime

The Sea Dogs went to the power play just past the one minute mark but didn't get much going until a Nathan Noel shot deflected off the outside of the left post late in the man advantage. Just seconds before Chabot's game winner, Bishop absolutely robbed Timo Meier on a partial breakaway to preserve the tie.

NOTES

• Prior to the opening faceoff, there was a moment of silence to show Canada's, and the QMJHL's, support of France and the victims of the terror attacks in Paris on Friday.
• Nico Blachman played his first game in a Sea Dogs uniform wearing No. 42. Blachman displayed strong skating and a willingness to get involved, especially on the forecheck and in his first QMJHL fight with Kelly Bent (who wanted no part of Bokondji Imama).
• Alex Bishop started in goal for Saint John to allow Marc-Antoine Turcotte a well-deserved night off. Bishop fought the puck at times but had a number of huge saves, notably on breakaway attempts by Danny Moynihan and Timo Meier.
• Jason Bell, Austin Clapham and Dawson Theede did not dress for Saint John. Samuel Dove-McFalls and Matt Green remain on the long-term injury list.
• The QMJHL reviewed the major penalty assessed to Bokondji Imama Friday night but determined that hit from behind did not warrant a suspension.
• An errant stick from Timo Meier clipped Adam Bateman late in the second period and left the Saint John defenceman face down in a pool of blood. But the referees determined that it was the result of a follow through of a shot, much to the chagrin of the Sea Dogs.
• Players, officials and coaches are getting into the spirit of "MOvember" as they are growing - or attempting to grow - cool moustaches in support of cancer.
• In a rather ironic twist, Moncton Wildcats fans who initially reveled in hockey fight wins by Jacob Sweeney and Lane Cormier in Thursday's victory over Saint John, now must deal with hand injuries to both players - which will reportedly keep them out of the line-up for up to three to four weeks.
• The Sea Dogs power play ended the game 0/5 - and 0/14 for the weekend. God only knows if/when the Sea Dogs can find a way to consistently score with a man advantage. Meanwhile, the Sea Dogs' penalty kill continues to shine as they did not allow a goal in four chances against them.
• Elsewhere in the QMJHL Maritimes Division on Saturday: CAP 7 - MON 5, BAT 3 - CHA 2   

TURNING POINT

Alex Bishop's save on Timo Meier led to an outlet pass which sprung Thomas Chabot for his game winning goal late in overtime.

HIT OF THE GAME

Early in the first period, Kelly Bent leveled big Oliver Felixson behind the Sea Dogs net. A few minutes later, Barrett Dachyshyn was on the receiving end of Bokondji Imama, who sent the Mooseheads rookie flying with a big open ice hit.  

SN PLAYERS OF THE GAME

1. Thomas Chabot (GWG +1)

2. Eric Brassard (37 saves)

3. Alex Bishop (31 saves)



NEXT GAME

The Sea Dogs travel to Baie-Comeau next week and faceoff against the Drakkar on Friday at 8:30 p.m.