February 11, 2012

CHARLOTTETOWN – It was a record-setting Hockey Day in Canada for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Dogs defeated the Prince Edward Island Rocket 5-0 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Saturday, with two players establishing new career marks. Mathieu Corbeil made 22 saves to set a new team record with his 43^rd career win, surpassing Robert Mayer. Corbeil also extended his shutout total to six, another franchise best. Meanwhile, Nathan Beaulieu became the all-time leading scorer among Sea Dogs defencemen with two assists, giving him 136 career points.

Jonathan Huberdeau had a hat-trick and added an assist, with Charlie Coyle and Danick Gauthier chipping in singles for the Sea Dogs. Tomas Jurco racked up four assists as Saint John improved to 38-13-0-2. The Sea Dogs also welcomed Stanislav Galiev back to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 1, 2011. The Russian registered two shots and three hits in his return from wrist surgery.

The Rocket fell to 17-33-2-2 with Maxime Legace making 25 saves in the loss.

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.

Huberdeau wasted little time opening the scoring, poking the puck across the line from Lagace’s left at 4:12 of the first. Jurco, who started the play with a dump-in, and Kevin Gagne notched the assists.

Coyle made it 2-0 with his first QMJHL shorthanded goal on a beautiful feed from Jurco at 14:32. Jurco took a pass out of the zone from Beaulieu, broke in 2-on-1 with Coyle and held just long enough to open the net for the big American forward, who converted from the right wing for his seventh goal. Beaulieu’s helper was the 135^th point of his career, one more than Simon Despres.

Grant West and Alex Gallant dropped the gloves in a spirited fight, with the edge going West’s way at 15:36. The Sea Dogs outshot the Rocket 16-5 in the first.

Huberdeau notched his second goal of the game at 12:14 of the middle frame on a quick pass from Zack Phillips with the two-man advantage to make it 3-0 Sea Dogs. Beaulieu poked the puck away from a defender, and Phillips sent it across to Huberdeau, who was waiting with an open cage at the right-wing faceoff circle.

Maxime Villemaire, the newest Sea Dog, dropped the gloves with Olivier Croteau for the second bout of the night and his first as a Dog at 13:56. The Dogs continued to pound Lagace with shots during during the frame, holding a 25-9 edge at the end of the second.

Huberdeau added an insurance marker, his 16th goal of the season, at 1:42 of the final frame. Jurco set up the hat-trick with his third assist of the game. The offensive onslaught continued despite PEI’s 13-7 edge in shots in the period. With the Huberdeau-Jurco-Gauthier connection working beautifully, Jurco made a play at the blueline to keep the puck in play and fed Huberdeau the puck. A beautiful spin pass set up Gauthier for his first at 17:38 of the third. Jurco’s assist on the play made it four on the night, and Huberdeau notched his fourth point of the game.

The Sea Dogs return home Sunday when they host the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 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.