How rare was Sunday's shootout?

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

If it felt like Sunday's shootout was unusually long for a Saint John Sea Dogs game, it was.

Sunday's nine-round shootout is tied for the second longest in Sea Dogs history. Defenseman Nate Tivey scored the only goal of the breakaway competition, giving Saint John a 2-1 victory over the Cape Breton Eagles at Centre 200.

The Sea Dogs are celebrating their 20th anniversary this season but really haven't had many epic shootouts – despite the club's entire history being played in the shootout era.

A few fun facts related to Sunday's game:

• The longest shootout in Sea Dogs history was 12 rounds, which took place way back on Oct. 30, 2007 when Saint John fell 2-1 to the Lewiston Maineiacs at Harbour Station. Saint John had a nine-round shootout on Sept. 22, 2023, a 3-2 home loss to the Charlottetown Islanders.
• In that 2007 game, Travis Fullerton stopped nine of 12 shots he faced, which stood alone as a franchise record until Sunday. Charles-Edward Gravel stopped all nine shots he faced.
• Gravel and Jakub Milota combined for 17 saves, the second most combined saves in a Sea Dogs shootout. There were 19 combined made in that 2007 game between Fullerton and Jonathan Bernier.
• The nine shots Gravel faced on Sunday matches his career high for shootout attempts faced in an entire season. He faced nine total shootout shots all of last season (and allowed just one goal).
• Nate Tivey had never been used in a shootout until Sunday. He's now a perfect 1/1 in his QMJHL career.

  A nice little #TiveyTuck to seal the deal. 😎#GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/qGVXkgIDMl

  — Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) September 29, 2024

• The Sea Dogs were 1-4 in shootouts last season, so perhaps this is a positive sign moving forward.

The longest shootout in league history was 19 rounds, which took place on April 29, 2022 between the Islanders and Moncton Wildcats.

Tomas Jurco and Jonathan Huberdeau each have a league record 16 career shootout goals. Defenseman Alex Grant is third in Sea Dogs franchise history with seven.