Rocket Pre-Season Opener
The PEI Rocket opened the pre-season with a 6-2 loss to the Saint John Sea dogs in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Friday.
For the Rocket, Daniel Perigo and Alexandre Chenier-Allard led the offensive charge with a goal a piece while Charles Olivier Lajoie made 14 saves facing 17 shots in 29:33. Jeremy Gallant palyed the other 30:27, stopping 10 of 13 shots in the loss.
Mathieu Newcomb finished with two goals and an assist to lead the offensive attack for the Sea Dogs. Oliver Cooper added a pair of goals and Mackenzie Brown added a goal and a helper. Spencer Smallman and Olivier LeBlanc added two assists apiece. Rookie Eric Theriault rounded out the scoring with a goal as well. Richard Tingley made 10 saves on 11 shots in 29:33 in net before giving way to Alex Fournier, who finished the game with 11 saves on 12 shots.
To view the official scoresheet for tonight’s game click HERE.
Ryan Caswell started things off with a bang, laying a big hit in the first minute to set the pace for the Sea Dogs.
Jeremy Brown flew into the offensive zone, ringing a shot off the crossbar at 6:42, drawing a hooking penalty on the play.
Cooper took advantage of the extra man at 8:20. Benjamin Hade blast a shot from the point that was too much for Lajoie. Cooper was on the doorstep for tap across the goal line after a scramble in front of the net. Fourth-round 2012 QMJHL draft pick Noah Zilbert notched the other assist on the play.
Newcomb helped state his case for a spot on the Dogs 2012-13 roster with an excellent deke to break through the PEI defence on a stretch pass from Mackenzie Brown. At 12:16 of the first period, Newcomb deked past the defence, made a quick move at the net and put the puck past Lajoie for his first of the game. LeBlanc had the second assist on the play.
Daniel Perigo potted one at 17:46 on the power play to get the Rockets on the scoresheet.
The second period started 2-1 in favour of the hometown Sea Dogs. Saint John natives Riley Craft and Eric Theriault connected to put the Dogs back up by two just 33 seconds into the middle frame. Ryan Caswell, a native of St. Stephen, NB, added the second assist on the play.
LeBlanc’s second assist of the night came on Cooper’s second of the night at 10:32 to make it 4-1 Sea Dogs. Marcus Cuomo also had an assist on the play.
Newcomb added his second of the night with a glove-side wrister on a 2-on-1 with Smallman at 15:46.
Mackenzie Brown gave the Sea Dogs a 6-1 lead after a Newcomb shot fooled Gallant. The puck was lying in the crease when Brown gave it a final push across the line at 2:54 of the final frame. Smallman fed the puck to Newcomb to grab the other assist.
PEI scored at 12:45 on the power play to make the final score 6-2. Chenier-Allard beat Fournier low with an assist from Mark Trickett.
The Rocket pre-season continues with action at the Pownal Sports Centre Saturday, August 18 at 2PM when the Sea Dogs come to PEI for a rematch. Tickets are $5 at the door.