QUEBEC CITY, P.Q. — Having entered the QMJHL playoffs as defending President Cup champions, the Saint John Sea Dogs will enter the Memorial Cup tournament successfully defending the President Cup by sweeping the Rimouski Oceanic four games to none.
Stanislav Galiev with three goals, Tomas Jurco with two goals led the Sea Dogs to an 8-0 win over the Oceanic.
Trailing 3-0 in the best of seven final series, Rimouski could not have asked for a worse scenario to begin game four.
Saint John took a 3-0 lead scoring three goals on their first 13 shots on Jacob Gervais-Chouinard. The team coached by Gerard Gallant adds two more goals ending first period leading 5-0 scoring their five goals on 20 shots in the opening period.
After seeing Stephen MacAulay and Kevin Gagne getting the first two great scoring chances for the Sea Dogs, Tomas Jurco with first of two goals into the opening period gave 1-0 lead to his team roofing the puck up with 15:46 to play in the opening period. Saint John already had seven shots on Rimouski goaltender Jacob Gervais-Chouinard.
A backhanded pass by defenseman Nathan Beaulieu deflected by Zack Phillips left alone in the slot with 8:11 remaining gave Saint John a 2-0 lead. Danick Gauthier on great backhanded shot went through traffic before crossing the goal line behind Rimouski netminder at 12:29 giving a 3-0 lead to team coach by Gerard Gallant.
Rimouski head coach Serge Beausoleil pulled his veteran netminder after Gervais Chouinard gave up three goals on 13 shots. Coming into the game Carl Hozjan gave next two Sea Dogs goals on seven shots.
Saint John adds two more goals in span of 19 seconds. Jurco from a broken play put a backhanded shot home for his second goal of the game at 18:55. Stanislav Galiev with first of three goals for the night complete Saint John scoring in first period taking a rebound shot from Phillips for Sea Dogs fifth goals at 19:14.
Sent back into the game by Gervais-Chouinard after Galiev scored his second of the game at 3:49 into second period. Hozjan’s night ended after allowing 3 goals on nine Saint John shots on goal.
Saint John added two more goals to their lead. Galiev completed his hat trick tipping Phillips shot in for Sea Dogs seventh goals of the night at 4:44. Jonathan Huberdeau took his own rebound roofing the puck over Gervais-Chouinard glove at 7:47
Tournament hosts, Shawinigan Cataractes, and Saint John with their QMJHL President Cup champion will be the two QMJHL representatives at the next Memorial Cup Tournament.
These two teams will have to wait the champion from two other junior hockey leagues, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey league to determine which team will be the new 2011-12 Memorial Cup champion.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.