Rocket @ Sea Dogs (Sep 27)

[nolman29]

P.E.I travels to Saint John Thursday to play the Sea Dogs.

In our last meeting, a terrible effort by the Rocket losing 6-3. Hopefully Thursday is a better night.

I say PEI takes it 4-2.

[elementz]

Hard to say which Dogs team shows up. We lost 6-1 to the Eagles on Friday but then easily beaten the Maineiacs 6-1.

I think the Dogs will take this but it will be a much tougher game than in PEI. This will be Brett Gallant's first game back from his suspension. Wonder if anything comes out of that.

[North Shore]

elementz said:

Hard to say which Dogs team shows up.

Better question is which Rocket team will show up. We seem to have two clubs at this early stage of the season. One that plays the better part of 60 Minutes and can win hockey games and another that can not get their minds and feet in gear.

Hopefully the Dogs will see the former and the Rocket pick up a win.

As for Gallant and his line I think they can be neutralized by a good offensive effort. If the Rocket play their "System" of trying to constantly chip the puck along the Boards the Dogs will have their way with them again.

If the Jean plays 4 lines and the guys keep their feet moving and pass the puck instead of grinding along the boards against a more physical team they will be successful.

[Score]

Rocket eyes spark
P.E.I. squad looks to end slow starts that have plagued it this season
The Guardian

As the P.E.I Rocket head into a pair of Quebec Major Junior Hockey League road games against Saint John today and Moncton on Friday, avoiding a slow start is at the top of its to-do list.

Both games start at 7 p.m.

In two of P.E.I.’s five games this year, the team came out flat, including a dismal 6-3 home loss to Saint John in mid-September that propelled some fans to the Civic Centre exits in the second period.

Last weekend, P.E.I. split two games versus St. John’s, losing the second game 6-3 by surrendering six goals in the last two periods.

Sophomore defenceman Jordon Southorn knows it’s up to each Rocket to fuel a quick launch.

“Everyone just has to find their way to get pumped up before the game,” said Southorn. “Everyone has their own things that the guys do before each game to get themselves going. We didn’t have the start that we wanted and not everything goes your way.

“We had a quality first four periods in Newfoundland. We struggled the last two, but you can’t dwell on those times. You just have to look at the game ahead.”

Sometimes media talk leans toward teams being too fired up as being as bad as not having enough energy.

Southorn said unfavourable bounces and too many infractions have affected the games more than lack of energy.

“We weren’t overly excited. Things just weren’t going our way. We’ve gotten a lot of penalties at the beginning of the year. We can’t play every game five-on-four for half the game, we have to stay five-on-five,” said the Pointe-Claire, Que., native of his team, which leads the league in penalty minutes with 143.

It’s given up two power-play goals, tying St. John’s and Lewiston for the league lead, but P.E.I. is tied for fourth overall with Chicoutimi in penalty-kill at almost 86 per cent.

Still, it’s a dangerous trend that fellow defenceman Jason Swit sees as a habit the Rocket can break with a little time.

“I think we have what it takes,” said the 20-year-old Swit, who came over in an off-season trade with Cape Breton for forward Joey Haddad.

“We have all the skills, all the right guys, the right character, I think we just need to come together as a team which is normal for a new bunch of guys.”

Time may also play a role here as the Rocket is into a four games in 10 days stretch after coming off a run of four games in seven nights which included travel to and from St. John’s.

But that time gained goes toward practice, said Swit, time that is never wasted.

“When we have a longer break, we have more time to practise. It’s not like we take a day off. Every day we’re on the ice.”

Game Note - The flu bug has hit the Rocket as Geoff Walker, Chris Doyle, Benoit Gervais, Lucas McKinley and Parker Deighan missed practices Tuesday and Wednesday. All are expected to make the trip to Saint John and Moncton.

[Score]

Sea Dogs primed for rematch
QMJHL Saint John downed P.E.I. 6-3 in their first meeting on Sept. 16
Andrew Mcgilligan
Telegraph-Journal


SAINT JOHN - Despite being just the fifth game of the season, it's safe to say tonight's Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game between the Saint John Sea Dogs and Prince Edward Island Rocket beginning at 7 p.m. at Harbour Station will be highly anticipated.

That's what happens when teams rack up 101 penalty minutes in their first meeting, a 6-3 road win for the Sea Dogs. In addition to the bad blood fostered in the first meeting, tonight's game features four of the leagues top scorers in Saint John sniper Chris Di Domenico and Rocket forwards Geoff Walker, Brett Morrison and Martin Latal. Add to that the return of Brett Gallant to the Saint John line up after serving a two-game suspension for a high stick against the Rocket. Gallant fought two players at once during the game, something he described as a first.

Shutting down the high-octane P.E.I. trio and staying out of the penalty box will be two keys to victory for the Sea Dogs.

"We have to play our game and not worry about the foolishness," said Saint John head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu.

After the Sept. 16 game in P.E.I., he said several of his players were jumped and accused the Rocket of "goonery."

"We need to play good disciplined hockey," the Saint John bech boss said, but added the Sea Dogs have players who can mix it up if need be.

Forward Mike Thomas, who plays a physical style of game, stressed that the team use their heads during the game.

"You have to have emotion during the game, but it has to be controlled and hopefully good things come from that," the second-year player said.

A more pressing concern for Beaulieu and the Sea Dogs is trying to shut down the Rocket big three in Morrison, Latal and Walker. Saint John did a good job of that in the first meeting with the line only accounting for one goal and frustrating Walker who racked up 14 minutes in penalties.

The Sea Dogs coach will give the task of holding the P.E.I. line in check to his top defensive pairing of Yann Sauve and Alex Grant.

The opportunity is something the Sea Dogs captain relishes.

"I find that type of opportunity exciting," Grant said. "At the end of the night if I shut them down and we win the game, then I feel like I've done my job."

Beaulieu stressed the job won't solely fall on the rear guards, but rather a strong all around effort is key. Things he mentioned specifically were good defensive zone coverage to limit scoring chances, plug the gaps in the neutral zone to limit their speed and face-offs.

"Winning face-offs against that line is key because if we win they don't have the puck," he said.

Saint John is back on home ice Saturday for a 7 p.m. game against its provincial rival the Moncton Wildcats.

[IslandersHKY]

Should be interesting based on Beaulieu's comments although I don't understand why he thinks his guys were jumped.

Anyway for fight fans Thomas would likely be a good matchup for Wright and I expect we will see Gallant go against Main or if not then Paynter.

Here is the lineup I would like to see:

Walker-Morrison-Latal
Kana-Doyle-Main
Cliche-Locke-Paynter
Wright-DesRoches-MacLean (would see limited ice)

Lessard-Gervais
Southorn-Malouin
Swit-Clow

Gelinas

Note:
I noticed that Schmidt didn't play either game in St. John's and I hope Lachaine is okay.


Hoping for a big win and to get this team rolling.

[Gallant-Unit(14-0-3)]

wont be Paynter, they are really good friends i guess. Main i think for sure tho.

[North Shore]

admin said:

Saint John head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu.
After the Sept. 16 game in P.E.I., he said several of his players were jumped and accused the Rocket of "goonery."

Classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

I don't think there was any "Goonery". The Sea Dogs certainly out played the Rocket Physically and offensively. I don't know what he saw that I missed.

As for tonights game if the Rocket skate for 60 minutes and don't get drawn into stupid retaliatory penalties they will win this game.

[wingman]

During the game Beaulieu and Jean were exchanging words back and forth on the benches and I think a part of it goes back to last year in that 12-2 game. Beaulieu didn't mince words when it came to Jean back then and it seems like it is continuing this season. Perhaps the some of the goonery he is referring to is the couple of fights that Walker had.

[habh8er]

I wasn't at the game but I found this quote in the GDT from the last game..


"I thought the kids battled and battled their hearts out," said Saint John head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu.

While happy with the win, Beaulieu was not content with the Rocket "jumping" his players late in the game.

"We got five guys cut in the face and three guys jumped," he said. "It was goonery, I don't like it and hopefully the league will look at it."

Nothing from the league, that I remember...gonna be a fun night at H.S.....watch out for #44!

[Score]

habh8er said:

..gonna be a fun night at H.S.....watch out for #44!

Why?

Will he actually touch the puck tonight?

[habh8er]

admin said:

habh8er said:

..gonna be a fun night at H.S.....watch out for #44!

Why?

Will he actually touch the puck tonight?

Puck??
Whats that???

[North Shore]

Jean could take a page out of Beaulieu's book. Sounds like a load of hype to get his players' emotions fired up. It isn't a fair comment on what happened at the game at the CCC.

[bois]

I agree it isn't a fair comment with the possible exception of Walker esentially jumping Stich at the end of the 2nd

[canucklehead]

bois said:

I agree it isn't a fair comment with the possible exception of Walker esentially jumping Stich at the end of the 2nd

I assume this is what he's talking about when he says "goonery"

Gallant is actually friends with quite a few Rocket players so it might be interesting to see who he fights tonight assuming he will fight being it's his first home game of the year