Saint John Take Game One From The Hosts

Mississauga, ON – The QMJHL champion Saint John Sea Dogs began their chase for the MasterCard Memorial Cup with a hard fought 4-3 victory over the host Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors at the Hershey Centre Friday night.

Tomas Jurco opened the scoring for the Sea Dogs after dancing around a Majors defender and sliding the puck between  JP Anderson’s legs at 18:15 of the first period off a pass from Stanislav Galiev.

The Majors responded at the 12:53 mark when team captain Casey Cizikas followed up on a Jacob De Serres rebound to tie the game at ones.

Both the Majors and Sea Dogs, despite the length of the season these teams have played so far (+88 games), showed signs of fatigue from either team during the game.  Each team is known for their speed, maintaining pressure at both ends of the ice and showing quick transitions leading to chances from both teams.

Devante Smith-Pelley tipped Stuart Percy’s point shot on the power play to give the Majors a 2-1 lead at 6:05 in the first period.

The point shot was Percy’s second assist of the evening.

The lead didn’t last long as 2011 NHL Draft prospect Jonathan Huberdeau, finished out the scoring in the first period with a power play marker for his first of the tournament, sending the game to intermission tied at two.

The scoring continued in the second period when Michael Kirkpatrick ripped a wrist shot over the glove of JP Anderson from the hash marks giving the Sea Dogs the lead midway through the second period.

Mississauga started the third period on the power play, but failed to respond to Kirkpatrick’s second period marker.

Saint John continued to stay strong on the penalty kill, holding off a Mississauga five-on-three power play. Their penalty kill finished the game nine for eleven.

“We had our chances on the power play, we have to bare down on those,” said Percy, who finished the game with two assists.  “If we put those in, then we have a chance to win the game.”

Kirkpatrick, at the 12:00 mark, made a nifty move to step around the Majors defender slipping the puck to wide open Nathan Beaulieu beating JP Anderson to take a 4-2 lead.

Less than 45 seconds later Cizikas made a great cross crease pass to Justin Shugg closing the deficit to 4-3 on the power play.

The Majors continued to apply pressure, but found themselves in penalty trouble of their own in the late stages of the third period.

“There is always going to be calls that we’re not going to agree with,” Percy added.  “But we can’t do anything about it.”

A total of 23 penalties were handed during the game, including 13 in the third period alone.

This wasn’t unfamiliar territory for the Sea Dogs, as they felt it was similar to what they’re used to playing back in Eastern Canada.

“It’s pretty much the same as the QMJHL” said 2011 NHL draft prospect Nathan Beaulieu.  “Teams try to play hard, and play physical – it’s part of the game.”

Beaulieu finished the game with a goal and an assist.

Saint John managed to fend off the host team for the remainder of the game holding on for the victory 4-3.

Jacob De Serres faced 27 shots in the victory, while his counterpart JP Anderson faced 31 shots.

Mississauga’s next game is Sunday May 22, when they face off against the WHL champion Kootenay Ice.

Saint John will play the following night, when they will take on the OHL champion Owen Sound Attack.