GDT: Sea Dogs vs Foreurs - January 19, 2008

[dogcatcher]

SEA DOGS HOST FOREURS TONIGHT AT HARBOUR STATION - 7:00PM!!

Tonight, the Val-d’Or Foreurs will pay a visit to Port City for the only time this season.

Saint John is 0-4 all-time versus Val-d’Or, and has been outscored 18-10 over the course of their four head-to-head matches.

Saint John sits in first place in the Eastern Division (29-12-1-2) with 61 points, while Val d'Or sits in seventh place in the Telus Division (21-23-2-2) with 46 points.

Tonight’s game has been designated ‘Country Night’, meaning that prizes will be handed out for the best-dressed cowboy and cowgirl and country/western music will be played throughout the duration of the contest on the arena sound system.

Additionally, one lucky fan will have the opportunity to win a new car during the first intermission of tonight's game as part of Fundy Honda's Shoot-To-Win promotion.

Fans can catch the action live by logging onto News 88.9 FM at www.news889.com/ or the official QMJHL webcast at qmjhl.mytelus.com/. Tickets are available by calling the Harbour Station Box Office at [phone].

[habh8er]

dogcatcher said:

SEA DOGS HOST FOREURS TONIGHT AT HARBOUR STATION - 7:00PM!!
Saint John is 0-4 all-time versus Val-d’Or,

Hope to change that stat tonight with another win at the Station. I'd have to think the start goes to Fullerton tonight, does anyone have anything on Picard-Hooper, I was surprised to see him sit last night....sure it's nothing too serious maybe the flu as it is that time of year, and a couple of the guys were playing with it last week. ........ celebrate good times come on ! I used to hate that song, but it's starting to grow on me hearing it so often this year leaving the old barn. Go Dogs Go!!

[canucklehead]

chillywack said:

Hooper is playing tonight. Sparling is sitting.

I'm wondering if this to try and keep the top players rested for tomorrow's big game against the Mooseheads?

Either that or we have a flu going through the locker room?

[habh8er]

chillywack said:

Hooper is playing tonight. Sparling is sitting.

Cool....thanks chilly.... those old buggers can't handle the pace or what?

When JB said it was a tough descision I didn't think it would go to that extent.....who sits tomorrow against Halifax...Dido ?

[mrlittlewolf]

Gallant

would be my guess

need all the scoring we have sunday

[elementz]

Gallant should be playing to keep an eye on Bouchard. Sucks that Sparling is sitting after racking up 4 assists last night.

[hockey1981]

5-2 Dogs

[Superdog]

6-3 dogs

[dogcatcher]

SEA DOGS DOWN FOREURS 4-3

Saint John Improves to 30-12-1-2 On The Season With Home Victory; Mike Thomas Nets Game-Winner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Saturday, January 19, 2008

SAINT JOHN, NB --- The Saint John Sea Dogs won their fourth straight game on Saturday night, besting the Val-d’Or Foreurs by a score of 4-3 in front of 4,188 fans at Harbour Station.

Saint John amassed a 4-1 lead over the course of the opening 46 minutes of play on Saturday and were able to withstand a third period rally by Val-d’Or, resultantly gaining sole possession of first place in the QMJHL East by simultaneously earning their 62nd and 63rd points of the season.

Scott Howes, Mike Thomas, Chris DiDomenico, and Alexandre Picard-Hooper scored for Saint John in the win, while Derek Famulare, Jonathan Hazen, and Jason Legault tallied markers for Val-d’Or in a losing effort.

Veteran goaltender Travis Fullerton earned the victory in net for the Sea Dogs, making 28 saves on 31 shots to improve his individual record to 17-9 on the season. Meanwhile, Raffeale D’Orso was credited with a loss between the pipes for the Foreurs despite an impressive 41-save performance.

Saint John struck first on Saturday night, with Scott Howes banging in his own rebound from just outside the Val-d’Or goal crease to earn his 28th goal of the season. Alexandre Leduc and Alexandre Picard-Hooper both picked up assists on Howes’ tally, which came at the 1:17 mark of the first period.

Fullerton made his first big save of the game near the 8:30 mark of the first, stoning Sebastien Savoie with a quick pad save on a wrist shot from point-blank range to preserve the one-goal Sea Dogs advantage.

The home team then went on a double power play near the midway mark of the opening frame, but were unable to capitalize on their 5-on-3 opportunity.

With 4:07 remaining in the first, Howes nearly scored his second of the night after being set up all alone in front of the Foreurs’ net by Chris DiDomenico. The 20-year old winger’s backhand attempt was blocked by D’Orso however, as the score remained 1-0 in favour of the host squad, which was how the first period ended.

The Sea Dogs then went up 2-0 at the 3:53 mark of the second period when Alexandre Picard-Hooper emerged from the penalty box after serving a two-minute minor and broke in on a two-on-one rush with Alexandre Leduc. After D’Orso made a pair of big saves in rapid succession off of both players, Picard-Hooper was able to fire a rebound to the back of the Val-d’Or net, earning his 12th goal of the season in the process. Just forty seconds later, a wraparound goal by Chris DiDomenico put Saint John up by three as the Sea Dogs’ offence continued to roll.

In the twelfth minute of play, Fullerton made a pair of huge saves, first on a Maxime Sauve one-timer and then a Derek Famulare backhand from close range. A moment later Famulare was able to sneak a rebound past the veteran goalie however, putting the visitors on the scoreboard with a power play tally.

The Foreurs’ attack continued to press from there; a tremendous glove save by Fullerton off of a Marc-Andre Cote wrist shot, unleashed from near the side of the net was all that kept the visitors from pulling to within one of the Sea Dogs at the sixteen minute mark of the second.

After a late-period power play chance for Saint John failed to yield any quantitative production despite some solid scoring chances, Saturday’s contest reached the forty minute mark with the home team leading 3-1.

Some exciting end-to-end action accompanied the start of the third period, with both teams registering early scoring chances as they diligently sought to add to their respective goal tallies.

An incredible individual effort by Alex Grant then put the Sea Dogs up 4-1 at the 6:00 mark of regulation’s final frame. The Saint John Captain burst into the Foreurs’ zone with a full head of steam prior to out-manoeuvring a Val-d’Or defender with a nifty between-the-legs move and getting off a shot which D’Orso blocked but was unable to control the rebound of, as Mike Thomas pounced on the loose puck and managed to muscle it across the goal line to earn his 7th tally of 2007-08.

Val-d’Or went on a 5-on-3 power play shortly after Thomas’ goal when Steven Anthony and Matthew Stoddard were both assessed minor penalties within 28 seconds of one another. The Forerus were able to capitalize on their two-man advantage, with a Jason Legault slap shot from the point eluding a screened Fullerton as the Sea Dogs’ lead was cut to two.

Saint John’s lead was then reduced to a single tally 23 seconds later when Jonathan managed to beat Fullerton with a high backhand shot to make the score 4-3 midway through the third period.

That would be as close as the visitors would get however, as Fullerton and Saint John’s defence were able to thwart all subsequent scoring attempts by Val-d’Or’s forwards, resulting in the attainment of a hard-fought one-goal victory.

The Sea Dogs next hit the ice on Sunday afternoon in Halifax when the take on the second-place Mooseheads in a 4:00pm contest. Saint John’s next home game is scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 24, and will see Port City’s major junior squad play host to the visiting Drummondville Voltigeurs.

[tostitos]

elementz said:

Gallant should be playing to keep an eye on Bouchard. Sucks that Sparling is sitting after racking up 4 assists last night.

I guess they will think next time about breaking curfew. JB isn't messing around here.

[Judas In My Mind]

Why is everyone pussying around this? I'll say it, and I know others have heard it too. Last week after the Friday game, Hooper, Sparling and Gallant went out. I have no problem with that as all are 19+ in age. Breaking curfew though warrants punishment, but it went beyond that so all will be suspended. Thus Brett Gallant will be sitting Sunday.