HUSKIES SCORE IN BUNCHES TO DEFEAT SEA DOGS
ROUYN-NORANDA, PQ – The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies scored three times in a 6:09 span in the second period, and went on to defeat the Saint John Sea Dogs, 6-1, in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Saturday at Iamgold Arena.
Matthew Highmore had the only goal for Saint John (16-31-1-3), which lost both games of the season series to the Huskies.
Chase Gaudet took the loss in goal in his Sea Dogs’ debut, making 41 stops.
Rouyn-Noranda (27-18-3-2) got two goals from Marcus Power, while Jeremy Lauzon, Francis Beauvillier, Julien Nantel and Liam O’Brien also found the net.
With the victory, the Huskies snapped a five-game losing skid.
A complete game summary can be found HERE.
The Huskies tested Gaudet in the opening frame.
About eight minutes into the game, Beauvillier took a pass near the left post, got in front and chipped a quick shot on goal that Gaudet stopped with his right side.
On the next sequence, Huskies’ goalie Alexandre Belanger gave away the puck in the corner to his left. Saint John’s Kelly Bent took a shot from the faceoff dot, but Belanger recovered to absorb the blast with his chest.
The Sea Dogs were outshot 12-4 in a scoreless first period.
Highmore’s goal came on a power play 34 seconds into the second.
Thomas Chabot took a shot from the left point that the Halifax-native deflected from between the faceoff circles and in between the legs of Belanger.
Rouyn-Noranda nearly tied it four minutes later when forward Antoine Waked picked up a loose puck in front of the Saint John goal and snapped a shot that Gaudet squeezed between his pads.
The Huskies used a man advantage of their own to draw even, just past the eight minute mark.
Lauzon sent a long shot from the middle of the point that beat a screened Gaudet to his blocker side, tying the game 1-1.
The Sea Dogs’ best chance to regain the lead came with about nine minutes left in the frame.
Forward Lukas Walter won a race to a loose puck on the left wing and ripped a sharp-angle shot that Belanger swallowed up in his abdominal area.
Rouyn-Noranda jumped ahead a short time later, when a shot from the left side by Victor Baldaev deflected in front and appeared to enter the net off the skate of Beauvillier.
Instant replay officials confirmed a good goal and the Huskies had a 2-1 lead.
Less than two minutes later, Nantel buried a rebound past Gaudet for a two-goal advantage.
The Huskies scored three times in 6:09 and carried a 3-1 lead into the second intermission. Rouyn-
Noranda also outshot Saint John 15-5 in the middle period.
Gaudet, the 19-year-old who joined the Sea Dogs from the Yarmouth Mariners (MHL) for the Quebec road trip, did his best to keep the game close in the opening ten minutes of the third.
The Summerside-native stopped and sat on a wraparound attempt from former Moncton captain Ryan Penny, and then got help from Mackenzie Brown at the goal line to deny a jam play by O’Brien.
Gaudet also stoned Huskies’ forward Jack Nevins from point-blank range after another wraparound attempt by Nantel.
Rouyn-Noranda broke through with their fourth goal of the night with five minutes remaining after Power buried the rebound of a left-point shot that Gaudet was unable to catch cleanly with his trapper.
Power redirected home his second of the night on a 4-on-3 power play with about three minutes to go.
O’Brien wrapped up the scoring on another man advantage with a tap-in after taking a pass at the top of the crease from Nevins, who was behind the net.
The Huskies’ last three goals came in a stretch of 3:28.
Rouyn-Noranda outshot Saint John 20-7 in the third period and 47-16 in the game.
Belanger made 15 saves for the win in goal in front of 2,862 fans in attendance.
Highmore had nine of Saint John’s 16 shots on the night.
The Sea Dogs’ next game is Friday, February 7th, at 7:30 p.m. against the Rimouski Oceanic. Tickets are available at the Harbour Station box office, online at tickets.harbourstation.ca, or by calling 657-1234. Listen LIVE on News 88.9 FM. Watch LIVE on TELUS (via theqmjhl.ca – fee applies).
