GDT: Sea Dogs vs Wildcats - December 30, 2007

[dogcatcher]

SEA DOGS VS WILDCATS - TODAY 4:00 PM!!

The Moncton Wildcats visit Saint John for the second time this season today. The Wildcats earned a 4-3 home win at the Sea Dogs’ expense on December 16 in both teams’ final games prior to the commencement of the mid-season break.

In Moncton’s only other visit to Harbour Station in 2007-08, the Sea Dogs scored three unanswered goals to erase a 2-0 first period deficit and capture a 3-2 victory on September 29. Brett Gallant, Chris DiDomenico, and Alexandre Picard-Hooper all scored in Saint John’s early season win, while Travis Fullerton earned the win in goal.

Rugged defenseman David Stich, not noted for his offensive prowess, is the Sea Dogs’ leading scorer versus Moncton this season, having registered three assists in as many games versus the 2006 Memorial Cup Finalists. The 18-year old blue-liner has also earned a rating of +5 against the Wildcats this season – the best mark of any player on Saint John.

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

SPECIAL NOTE: This afternoon is Family Fun Day at Harbour Station. Two Adult Tickets & Two Youth Tickets For Just $32!!!! Call (506) 657-DOGS (3647) or [phone] for more information on this offer.

[CatsFan]

I have a bad feeling about this game as the Dogs have a lot more firepower.. but seeing as how you guys are playing your 3rd in 3.. maybe the Cats can pull out the win. 3-2.

[hockey1981]

5-2 Dogs

[bjindaho]

Some stats for thought:

Sea Dogs 24-10-1-2, 51 points, 1st in the East Division
Wildcats 15-19-2-4, 36 points, 8th in the East Division, 1 point behind 7th

Special Units
Sea Dogs - PP 19.7 (T-5th), PK 82.5 (9th)
Wildcats - PP 16.0 (15th), PK 79.3 (16th)

Goals For - Against - Differential
Saint John 151 (T-3rd) - 119 (T-3rd) - 32 (1st)
Moncton 114 (16th) - 127 (T-7th) - -13 (T-13th)

Leading Scorers

Sea Dogs
Dido 60 points (28-32)
Howes 44 points (23-21)
Sparling 41 points (16-25)
Picard 37 points (9-28)
Leduc 26 points (11-15)

Moncton
Eagles 39 points (15-24)
Barberio 25 points (4-21)
Cameron 20 points (8-12)
Morehouse 16 points (7-9)
Sill 14 points (11-3)

Players to watch

Sea Dogs
Picard-Hooper - 10 points on the week, 28 assists in 26 games
Howes - 23 goals in 37 games
Dido - T-1st in the league in scoring, 3rd in the league in goals

Moncton
Biduke - 8 goals in 12 games
Eagles - PPG player on a struggling offense
Bezak - this is his chance to prove he belongs

Goalies
Sea Dogs - Passingham - Troy should get the start again as it is a 3 in 3 situation and Travis Fullerton started the first two. Moncton has offensive struggles and recently traded two of their top 3 forwards (scoring) to build for the future

Wildcats - Riopel - Moncton are gonna need all the points they can get down the stretch to try to make the playoffs, and this is a game where they may be able to steal some points because of the 3 in 3. They will have to start paying attention to who starts what game more carefully from here on out.

[bjindaho]

If the boys come out with jump, this could get ugly in a hurry. If they come out slower, it should be a good game.

[canucklehead]

Passingham will likely get the start today but I think the guys are on such a roll right now the Dogs will win this one.

Dogs win 6-3

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

well off to the game. Herr probly wont play but maybe we can jump Morehouse haha. go dogs go!

[CatsFan]

gallantunit44 said:

well off to the game. Herr probly wont play but maybe we can jump Morehouse haha. go dogs go!

Herr won't be playing as he has a concussion.

[dogbert]

Great win for Passingham.

GD Eagles tie the game with 12 seconds left.

Thank you Chris Doyle. PEI wins in a shootout and the Sea Dogs are now alone in first place. They gain another 2pts on the Moose too as they loose a close one to the Fog.

The boys also maintain their league best winning percentage and should be a shoe-in for MC top 10 this week.

[dogcatcher]

SEA DOGS DOUBLE UP WILDCATS 4-2 AT HARBOUR STATION

Saint John Wraps Up 2007 At The Top of the East Division Standings Following Impressive Home Win Over Moncton

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Sunday, December 30, 2007

SAINT JOHN, NB --- The first-place Saint John Sea Dogs continued their winning ways on Sunday afternoon, earning a victory for the third time in as many days to exit the 2007 calendar year in first place in the QMJHL East with 53 points.

In a back-and-forth affair that saw several swings in momentum and tremendous action at both ends of the ice, the Sea Dogs emerged victorious after erasing a pair of one-goal deficits, eventually producing a 4-2 win at the expense of their provincial rivals the Moncton Wildcats.

Rookie net minder Troy Passingham earned his first career QMJHL win between the pipes for Saint John on Sunday, turning aside 20 of the 22 shots sent his way. Meanwhile, Moncton’s Charles Lavigne suffered the loss in net for the Wildcats, making 25 saves on 28 shots over the course of the match.

Alexandre Picard-Hooper, Chris DiDomenico, Alex Grant, and Francois Gauthier all scored for the Sea Dogs in the afternoon win, while Matthew Brenton and Mark Barberio each tallied markers for the Wildcats in a losing effort.

The visitors got on the scoreboard first on Sunday, with defenseman Mark Barberio beating Passingham with a traffic-dodging low slap shot from the point during Moncton’s first power play of the game 7:38 into the first period.

Saint John responded 3:16 later, as Chris DiDomenico was able to grab his own rebound after being denied on his first attempt by Lavigne from close-range, tucking shot #2 to the back of the Moncton net on his backhand to earn his 29th goal of the season.

The Sea Dogs continued to apply heavy pressure in the Wildcats’ zone throughout the duration of the opening frame, but some impressive work by Lavigne, particularly during a late period Saint John power play, ensured that Sunday’s contest reached the first intermission with the score tied 1-1.

Both goalies made some tremendous stops early in the second period, with Troy Passingham’s huge pad save off of a shot off the stick of Adam Bezak from point-blank range near the four minute mark of the middle frame keeping things deadlocked at one apiece.

Passingham was unable to stop Matthew Brenton on a mid-period breakaway attempt however, as the 18-year old winger managed to sneak a wrist shot to the back of the Sea Dogs and earn his second goal of the season during a penalty kill.

The home team again responded with great rapidity however, as Alexandre Picard-Hooper knocked home a rebound through Lavigne’s pads just 2:18 after Brenton’s tally to make the score 2-2.

Saint John then took their first lead of the afternoon with 2:33 remaining in the middle frame, as Alex Grant notched a power play tally on a wrist shot from just inside the Moncton blue line that managed to elude Lavigne, giving the Sea Dogs Captain ten goals on the year and putting his team ahead on the scoreboard 3-2.

Neither team was able to add to their respective goal totals for the first 19:55 of the third period, with Saint John’s dynamic penalty killing unit coming up big on three occasions during regulation’s final frame.

An empty net goal by Francois Gauthier with five seconds remaining in the third sealed the deal for Saint John, who will now kick off 2008 in Newfoundland with a three-game series versus the St. John’s Fog Devils at Mile One Stadium.

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

3 games 3 nights 3 wins!!! Hooper,Howes and Dido keep gettin points. Sauve did well, thought he scored once but w/e. Congrats to Passingham on his first win in the Q

[canucklehead]

Thought the Dogs played a very good game considering this was the 3rd in 3.

Congrats to Passingham on the first win! Just gotta keep working on rebound control

To take 6 points this weekend is huge and proves that I don't think we need to add anything we did that when we picked up Howes and Picard they have been a huge addition to the offence.

[killer]

Ryan Sparling extends his point streak to 14 games in this game as well.

This was probably Sauve's best game of the season, seemed to really focused and was very involved physically. I hope he keeps playing with that type of intensity.

MacDonald did not look out of place out there handling the puck with more confidence. I was one at the beginning of the season who was not a fan of MacDonald making the club but he improved nicely since training camp............... great to see.

Amyot has stepped his game up lately as well, very intelligent player who always seems to make the right play. Amyot is not physical or flashy but does the little things very well and is starting to show up more on the score sheet.


MacNeil is underrated IMO, one of those guys you don't appreciate until you see him play regularly. He is a big part of this defence, keeps things simple and looks good in his own end. Blocks his fair share of shots as well.

Stich has played well and is not taking the senseless penalties like last season. He has matured and is playing great hockey. I would love to know how many sticks that Stich has broke this season. He snapped 2 in half during warm ups.

All in all Our defence has looked very solid all season long and is exciting to know they are all eligible to return next year.

[dogcatcher]

Alone at the top
Wonderful Weekend: Sea Dogs rattle off three straight wins to start the second half, including Sunday's 4-2 triumph over the Moncton Wildcats

Andrew Mcgilligan
Telegraph-Journal
Published Monday December 31st, 2007
Appeared on page B8

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are all alone in first place in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Eastern Division. Saint John took over the top spot on Sunday afternoon with a 4-2 win over the Moncton Wildcats in front of 4,140 fans at Harbour Station.

Chris Di Domenico, Alexandre Picard, Alex Grant and Francois Gauthier scored for Saint John, while Mark Barberio and Matthew Brenton replied for the Wildcats.

Thanks to three wins over the weekend, Saint John has a one-point edge and four games in hand over the second-place Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. Hearing the team was in top spot was a special moment for the Sea Dogs' captain.

"I just got a chill hearing that," Grant said. "We've put a lot of hard work in the organization and we've had our rough times for sure, but by the looks of things we're past that. To be sitting alone in first place is pretty special and I'm just glad to be a part of that."

On Saturday, the Sea Dogs defeated the Lewiston Maineiacs 6-4 in front of 4,239 fans at Harbour Station. Ryan Sparling and Picard had two goals apiece for Saint John while Scott Howes and Yann Sauve added singles. Todd Chinova had a pair of markers for Lewiston while Michael Ward of Shippigan and Chris Tutalo had one goal each.

On Sunday, the Wildcats opened the scoring on the power play. Barberio blasted a shot from the point that beat a screened Sea Dogs starter Troy Passingham low to the glove side.

Saint John wasted no time tying the game 1-1. The puck found its way in front to Di Domenico, who was all alone. The QMJHL's leading scorer fired a backhander past Wildcats starter Charles Lavigne at 10:53.

The teams played an even first period and began the second tied 1-1.

Saint John had a great chance to take the lead in the opening moments of the second, but Lavigne stoned Michael Kirkpatrick in close.

It was the third game in as many days for the Sea Dogs, and the team looked fatigued in the opening stages of the middle frame.

The Wildcats took advantage with a short-handed marker at 7:16. Di Domenico fell at the blue-line, allowing a breakaway to Brenton, who beat Passingham with a wrist shot on the blocker side for a 2-1 Moncton lead.

Once again, the Sea Dogs replied quickly. Picard batted in a rebound off a scramble in front of the Wildcats' net for a 2-2 tie at 9:34 of the second. The goal was Picard's 10th point in the past three games, making a strong case for player-of-the-week honours.

Saint John took its first lead of the game in the final three minutes of the period. Grant's wrist shot from the point had eyes and found the back of the net for a 3-2 Saint John advantage. Sparling drew an assist on the captain's 10th of the year, extending his point-streak to 14 games.

The Sea Dogs carried the one-goal lead into the final period of play.

The most excitement of the third came in the final moments. Kirkpatrick took a delay of game penalty in the final two minutes to give the Wildcats one last chance to tie.

Passingham came up with his biggest save of the night and Gauthier iced the win with an empty-net marker to make it 4-2.

The win was the first in Passingham's QMJHL career.

He said seeing Gauthier's shot go into the open net was a big moment.

"That was the best feeling by far this year," Passingham said. "It feels good right now and the guys played great in front of me."

With the win, Saint John improves to 25-10-1-2. The loss drops Moncton to 15-20-2-4.

RECORDS: On Friday, Alexandre Picard set a new Sea Dogs record for points in one game with six in a 9-2 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. On Saturday, it was Travis Fullerton's turn. The Saint John netminder recorded his 15th win of the season in a 6-4 victory over the Lewiston Maineiacs. The win gave Fullerton the record for most wins in a season by a Sea Dogs goaltender.

[habh8er]

killer said:

This was probably Sauve's best game of the season, seemed to really focused and was very involved physically. I hope he keeps playing with that type of intensity.

Yeah Sauve took a couple of cheap shots in the first, and really seemed to step it up after that...one was a punch to the face by their "captain" Moorehouse and the other was from Boyle I think. He played a real good game with that chip on his shoulder....as the old saying goes "don't wake the sleeping giant"....hope to see this kind of game from Yann more often, he was a real force along the boards and seemed to carry the puck up ice with an extra gear to shift into last night ...hope he plays mad on the rock this weekend.

Anyone notice the butend to the face by Levigne on Dido at the end of the second......I did, but that blind ref missed it...along with lots of other crap behind the play from both sides...he should be doing games with someone else, because he seemed to have tunnel vision....or a sore neck, because he never turned his head to look back during the entire game .