SEA DOGS OPEN ROAD TRIP WITH LOSS IN SHAWINIGAN

SHAWINIGAN, PQ – Alexis D’Aoust’s second goal of the game eight minutes into the second period proved to be the game winner, as the Shawinigan Cataractes doubled up the Saint John Sea Dogs, 4-2, in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Wednesday at Centre Gervais Auto.

Jeremy Auger and Gabriel Slight also scored for Shawinigan (13-30-4-3), while goalie Marvin Cupper made 24 stops in the victory. 

Noah Zilbert had both goals for Saint John (15-30-1-3), with Sebastien Auger kicking aside 24 shots in the loss.

A complete game summary can be found HERE. 

The Sea Dogs threatened to score the opening goal on a power play chance just two minutes in.

Olivier LeBlanc blasted a one-timer that was stopped by the German netminder Cupper, who also snared a Mathieu Joseph rebound opportunity with his glove hand. 

The Cataractes broke the ice on a man advantage of their own six minutes into the game.

Sebastien Gauthier rifled a shot from the high slot that Auger stopped with his glove, but the puck dropped down into the crease allowing D’Aoust to bury his first of the night. 

The Sea Dogs’ goalie made sure the deficit stayed at one goal with big saves with under five minutes remaining in the period.

With Shawinigan on the power play again, Slight grabbed a loose puck off a blocked shot and snapped it toward the near post, but the 19-year-old Auger kicked it out with his left pad. 

The St-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec, native also stymied Giovanni Fiore with a flashy glove stop on a shot from the right wing faceoff dot.

And Auger stoned Russian import Ilya Zinoviev on a shot from point-blank range in front of the net. 

The Cataractes outshot the Sea Dogs 17-10 in the first period and led 1-0 through twenty minutes.

Zilbert tied the game less than two minutes into the middle period. 

Marcus Cuomo drove the net on the right side and muscled the puck to the goal. It went off Cupper into the slot where Zilbert backhanded it home.

Controversy erupted shy of the six-minute mark when Jeremy Auger scored on a wraparound to Sebastien Auger’s left. The net appeared to jump up on its pegs as the puck was swung in.

Referee Dominick Bedard waved it off immediately, but after a video review lasting more than five minutes, the call on the ice was reversed and the goal stood. 

Just over two minutes later, D’Aoust tipped in a point shot by Simon Boudreau for his second goal of the game and a 3-1 Shawinigan lead.

Saint John had several chances to narrow the gap before the end of the period. 

Matthew Highmore took a pass in the slot and snapped a one-timer that Cupper kicked away with his left leg.

Kelly Bent also fed Jason Cameron charging to the net, but the overager’s deflection missed the right post. 

Shots were 8-8 in the second period. Shawinigan led 3-1 through two periods.

Zilbert tallied his second goal of the night in the opening minute of the third with Saint John on a power play. 

LeBlanc sent a hard wrister toward the net from the blueline, and the Fredericton-native Zilbert tipped the shot past Cupper’s blocker to get Saint John within one goal.

But the Cataractes countered on another man advantage five minutes later. 

Slight took a short pass from the corner in the bottom of the left circle and wristed a high shot past Auger’s glove hand.

Saint John pulled the goaltender with 1:44 remaining, but could not score with the extra attacker on the ice.

Saint John outshot Shawinigan 8-3 in the third period. The Cataractes outshot the Sea Dogs 28-26 in the game. 

D’Aoust was named first star in front of 2,246 fans in attendance.

The Sea Dogs’ next game is Friday, January 31st, at 8:30 p.m. against the Val-d’Or Foreurs at Centre Air Creebec. Listen LIVE on News 88.9 FM. Watch LIVE on TELUS (via theqmjhl.ca – fee applies).

Saint John’s next home 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.