February 4, 2012

SHAWINIGAN – The Saint John Sea Dogs won a matchup of the two top teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, as Jonathan Huberdeau’s late goal sealed a 2-1 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes.

Charles Roussel had a goal and an assist for the visitors and Mathieu Corbeil made 37 saves in an outstanding performance for the win. Saint John improved its league-best record to 38-13-0-2.

Max Le Sieur had the Shawinigan goal and Gabriel Girard made 23 saves in the loss. The second-place Cataractes sit at 35-12-2-3.

Click HERE to view a complete scoresheet from Saturday’s game. For interviews and highlights, visit Sea Dogs TV, the team’s official YouTube channel.

Things started out rough as Grant West dropped the gloves with Dillon Donnelly just 2:30 into the game. The first period also featured three sets of offsetting roughing penalties as both teams tried to establish a physical edge.

Le Sieur opened the scoring at 14:17 of the first period, the only shot to beat Corbeil. Shawinigan outshot the Sea Dogs 14-11 in the opening frame and 12-7 in the second, but the overage goalie kept it a one-goal game until Roussel found the equalizer late in the middle frame.

With the Dogs on the power play, Roussel found the back of the net with a slap shot at 18:51 of the second. Zack Phillips and Nathan Beaulieu assisted on the goal, the 11^th of the season for the former Cataracte.

The Sea Dogs had a chance to take the lead while short-handed early in the third when Phillips and Tomas Jurco broke in on a 2-on-1, but Phillips put his shot just high. Saint John then faced some serious adversity when Jason Cameron was sent off for five minutes and a game misconduct for checking to the head after hitting Kirill Kabanov as the Russian reached for a puck at 8:54.

Corbeil and the Sea Dogs penalty killers were equal to the task, turning in an incredible effort to kill the entire five-minute disadvantage. Late in the power play, Michael Bournival hit the crossbar, and Roussel laid down to block another shot as the Dogs dodged the bullet.

Shortly thereafter, Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant called a timeout to rest and refocus his troops. The tide turned when Jonathan Racine delivered an elbow to the head of Huberdeau, earning him his own five minutes and a game for checking to the head at 16:33.

The Dogs capitalized on the late power play, as Huberdeau banked it in off Girard at 19:30 for the game winner. Roussel and Charlie Coyle picked up the assists on the goal, Huberdeau’s 13^th.

Saint John finished 2-for-4 on the power play and a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.

The Sea Dogs return home on Feb. 12 when they host the Prince Edward Island Rocket for the annual Journée des Francofans and Valentine’s Day Spectacular. Tickets are available at the Harbour Station box office, by calling 506-657-1234 or online at www.tickets.harbourstation.ca.