GDT: Sea Dogs vs Voltigeurs - January 24, 2008

[playbyplay]

I can't see Passingham playing tonight. He knew what he was walking into this year being the third goalie, and playing two games may still have been more than he expected. His growth as a goaltender, this year, will come from practicing with the Sea Dogs.
Plus, the game against Drummondville, just like every other matchup in the Q, is not a guaranteed win. Though likely, why not start the number 1 goalie who the team is most confident playing with and try and recapture the top spot in the division?

[bjindaho]

This is a BAD team. You don't start the starter.

And Killer, I didn't check first...my bad. Never thought they'd pick it up.

[playbyplay]

They are uncomparable to a team like Saint John, true, but if you look at the results of their games this season, most have been close, no matter who they are up against. We'll see how the game goes, but I don't think we should take them lightly just because they're in last place. We were in the same position at this time last year and surprised a lot of teams.

[bjindaho]

A LOT? sure... That's why we finished in LAST PLACE

[canucklehead]

Of course anything can happen I mean we beat the Lewiston MAINEiacs last year it happens sometimes but if they are serious about giving Passy a chance he needs to have more starts this year.

[playbyplay]

I'm not sure I agree with you, Canucklehead (I like the name by the way). I think keeping him as a third goalie this year is a statement that they are serious about giving him a chance next year, regardless if he gets anymore games or not. Think of the money he's costing the team having him stay in Saint John and attend all the road games (hotel costs, food costs, et cetera).
I guess I could see him starting in another game later this season if the standings aren't as close as they are right now.

[elementz]

Not much to say here, pretty ugly game. A snoozer.

[tostitos]

Linesman #49 will now be referred to as: Justin "Too Many Men" Burchell.

[mrlittlewolf]

Justin " too fat" Birdshit!!!!

[dogcatcher]

SEA DOGS TAKE DOWN VOLTS 5-4 AT HARBOUR STATION

Alexandre Picard-Hooper Records 300th Career QMJHL Point in Home Win for Saint John

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, January 24, 2008

SAINT JOHN, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs re-claimed sole possession of first place in the QMJHL East on Thursday night, defeating the Drummondville Voltigeurs by a score of 5-4 at Harbour Station to earn two points and leapfrog the idle Halifax Mooseheads in the standings.

Saint John now has 66 points on the year to Halifax’s 65.

The Sea Dogs built a 5-2 lead over the course of the opening 46 minutes of play on Thursday and were able to hold on to victory from there despite surrendering a pair of late tallies to the Voltigeurs.

Scott Howes, Francois Gauthier, Alexandre Leduc, Ryan Sparling, and Michael Kirkpatrick all scored for Saint John in the win while Mike Hoffman, Gabriel Dumont (2), and Remy Lamoureux replied for Drummondville.

Travis Fullerton earned the win in net for the Sea Dogs, stopping 28 of the 32 shots sent his way to improve his 2007-08 record to 18-10. Meanwhile, former Sea Dogs draft pick Nathan Dunnett suffered the loss between the pipes for the Voltigeurs, resultantly falling to 1-3 on the season.

Fullerton was tested early on Thursday, denying Philippe Lefebvre on a breakaway with a huge pad save in the opening minute of play. A moment later, Dunnett came up big for the Voltigeurs, stoning Chris DiDomenico on a backhand shot from point-blank range to keep the score deadlocked at zeroes.

Sea Dogs shooters would hit three posts over the course of the next seven minutes, their bad luck compounding at an alarming rate as they were unable to tally the game’s first goal despite applying heavy pressure upon the Voltigeurs.

In the fourteenth minute of play, Alexandre Leduc was robbed of what appeared to be a sure goal at the side of the Drummondville net by Dunnett, who dove across an open cage to block the winger’s shot with his outstretched arms as the score remained 0-0 against all odds.

Ryan Sparling finally put the home team on the scoreboard 6:54 into the second period, cutting across the slot during a power play and firing a low shot that beat Dunnett and gave the third-year forward his career-high 19th goal of the season.

A breakaway goal by Gabriel Dumont then tied things up 1-1; the speedy centre raced into Saint John’s zone and fired a high shot to the glove side that Fullerton was unable to snag. The wily Sea Dogs net minder was able to deny Mike Hoffman on another Drummondville breakaway chance a moment later, sliding across his goal crease to block the left winger’s backhand attempt with tremendous aplomb.

The Voltigeurs then went up 2-1 when Dumont snuck a rebound shot past a sprawling Fullerton to earn his second goal of the game at the 13:51 mark of the middle frame.

Saint John produced the equalizer just 0:45 later however, as a shot by Michael Kirkpatrick managed to bounce and deflect its way to the back of the Drummondville net. Alexandre Picard-Hooper picked up an assist on the successful scoring play, giving the 20-year old centre 300 career QMJHL points.

The home team then took the lead when an Alex Grant point shot was deflected by Alexandre Leduc with 1:15 remaining in the second period, giving the 19-year old 14 goals on the season and giving the Sea Dogs a 3-2 lead as Thursday night’s contest reached the forty-minute mark.

At the 4:57 mark of the third period, Saint John went up 4-2 when Scott Howes wired a generous rebound to the back of the Drummondville net from close range to earn his 29th tally of 2007-08. Jeff McNeil assisted on the marker, extending his point streak to a team-best four games.

The Sea Dogs then went up by a field goal at the 5:47 mark of regulation’s final frame when Francois Gauthier dove across the Drummondville crease to tap in a loose puck.

Drummondville pulled back to within two with 7:26 remaining in regulation, as Remy Lamoureux beat Fullerton with a well-placed shot to earn his second goal of the year.

Saint John then took a pair of penalties in close proximity to one another to award the Voltigeurs a two-man advantage with five minutes and change remaining in the third period.

The Voltigeurs made the most of their 5-on-3 opportunity, with rookie Mike Hoffman netting a goal almost immediately after the commencement of the double-PP to pull the visitors to within a single tally of the home team’s lead.

With 1:48 remaining in regulation, the Sea Dogs were assessed a two-minute bench minor for having too many men on the ice. The Voltigeurs came perilously close to tying the match up during a frantic final one hundred seconds, but the Saint John penalty killing unit was able to hold on to the win by emerging victorious in the late-match special teams showdown.

Up next for the Sea Dogs is a Saturday night contest versus the St. John’s Fog Devils at Harbour Station. The action gets underway at 7:00pm as Saint John looks to earn their fifth win of the season at the expense of their expansion brethren.

[Superdog]

WE SHOULD HAVE LOST THAT GAME TONIGHT

[Superdog]

if we had latal in the line up the game would have been a blow out

[elementz]

Why cuz he would have spit on everyone. Congrats to Picard.

I see Amyot must still be under the weather as he only played a couple shifts and left the game. Nice to talk to Mayer and Sauve tonight too.

[canucklehead]

Amyot playing very limited and Sauve being out is likely why Passingham didn't get the start tonight I noticed Thomas got some more icetime patrolling the blueline again.

Anyway ya look at it the boys got the 2 points and are back on top once again.

[tostitos]

This is why you DO NOT underestimate teams like Drummondville. Sure, they may be in dead last, but look at their last three games, they have game top teams a run for their money. Baie-Comeau, Quebec (both lost 6-3, but they had good leads during the game) and now tonight.

I guarantee JB will be skating the shit out of them tomorrow and it'll be a completly different team Saturday night. If not, we are in for a long night, and I'm going to have to double up everything I drink just to forget about it.