QUEBEC CITY, P.Q—With the score tied 2-2 after regulation time, the Saint John Sea Dogs defeated the Gatineau Olympiques for second time in the series in double overtime, winning game six 3-2.
Saint John won the QMJHL President’s Cup Final, 4-2.
After trading several scoring chances in the first OT and at the beginning of second, it was a costly turnover by Gatineau left winger Jacob Conrad that put an end to the Olympiques run in the 2010-11 President Cup Final.
Getting the puck from Saint John defenseman Eric Gelinas, Alexandre Beauregard ripped the puck high on Gatineau goaltender Maxime Clermont’s glove side at 15:45 of the second overtime session.
As the QMJHL President Cup champion, the Saint John Sea Dogs became the QMJHL representative at the Memorial Cup Tournament that begins on May 19 and runs through May 29.
Two goals were scored in the opening period in this game six in Robert Guertin Center. First Stanislav Galiev silenced the crowd by scoring first goal in the game giving a 1-0 lead to Saint John with only 4:12 gone. Galiev’s shot beat Clermont underneath the crossbar.
Gatineau defenseman Adam Janosik lost the puck behind his own net to Sea Dogs center Jonathan Huberdeau who assisted Galiev, the author of Sea Dogs first in the game.
Gatineau brought their crowd back into the game seven minutes later with Philip-Michael Devos’ 10th of the playoff. The former Victoriaville player put the puck in after taking a bouncing puck following a first shot by Hubert Labrie.
While play was pretty tight between the two teams in first portion of the opening period, Saint John, took control in the second portion of the period shooting 13 times to end with 19 shots on Gatineau goaltender Clermont, who like the preceding game was solid in net. The Olympiques ended the first period with seven shots on Jacob DeSerres.
While the pace of first period had been fast one, it was a different story in the middle frame.
Saint John missed a big opportunity to break the tie when they have had a four-on-three power play with 4:47 into second period. Olympiques head coach Benoit Groulx decided to go with two forwards, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Devos with only one defenseman, Nicolas Deslauriers. Gatineau successfully killed the power play keeping the score 1-1.
While Clermont played solid in the opening period for the Olympiques blocking all 19 Saint John shots, Sea Dogs goaltender DeSerres answered the challenge in the second by standing in front of his net stopping all Gatineau shots (12). Saint John ended the second period shooting only 8 times.
With the score still tied 1-1 with less than five minutes to go in the third, Gatineau defenseman Adam Janosik, who made a costly mistake on Saint John first goal in the game, thought he had given his team the victory with his fifth goal of the playoffs at 14:38.
His perfect wrist shot beat Saint John netminder on a defensive break down, on a three-on-three play.
But with 23.3 second remaining Jonathan Huberdeau brought both team back to square one with Saint John’s third goal keeping alive the Sea Dogs’ hope to end the series in overtime, or at least to have to go back home to play game seven Monday night.
As QMJHL representative, the Saint John Sea Dogs will fly to Mississauga, Ontario to play in the Memorial Cup Tournament to determine the next Canadian Junior Hockey League Champion.
As the hosted team the Mississauga St. Michael Majors and the Owen Sound Attack (Ontario Hockey League champion) will take part in the tournament.
The Kootenay Ice, as Western Hockey League champion, will be the WHL representative.
In the Memorial Cup Tournament first game, the WHL champion, the Kootenay Ice will host the QMJHL champion the Saint John Sea Dogs Friday May 19.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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