Finding Ways To Win...

If there's one thing we've learned about this season's Saint John Sea Dogs team, it's to never count them out. A prime example is yesterday's match up in Bathurst against the Titan. After finding themselves in a 2-0 hole early in the first period, the Saint John squad found a way to dig themselves out and take the game in a convincing 5-2 win.  The victory moves the Sea Dogs into a tie with the Shawinigan Cataractes for the league lead.
More About The Game-
Acadie-Bathurst capitalized on a double-minor to Sea Dogs defenceman Nathan Beaulieu, for checking from behind and unsportsmanlike conduct, with a pair of power-play goals before the game was five minutes old.

O’Brien got the first just 17 seconds into the man advantage when he broke down the wing, blew by the Sea Dogs defender and cut to the front of the net before beating Sebastien Auger, who got the start in the Saint John goal, for his league-leading 42nd goal of the season.

Just over a minute later the Titan power play struck again when Hoefflin took a pass from O’Brien and beat Auger low on the stick side from the high slot.

“We took a double-minor and they scored two power-play goals right off the bat and there goes the game plan,” said Saint John head coach Gerard Gallant following the win, as reported in the Telegraph Journal. “We had talked about killing their power plays and limiting their chances, but we just regrouped and found a way to get a couple of goals back early in the game to tie it up and we went from there.”

The early Titan momentum was short-lived, as the Sea Dogs got their first goal of the game just over two minutes later and never looked back.

Charles-Olivier Roussell broke the ice for Saint John when he pounced on a big rebound in the slot and snapped a shot over the glove hand of Titan netminder Robert Steeves at the 6:47 mark to cut the lead in half.

Charlie Coyle evened the score before the midway point of the opening frame when he banked the puck off an Acadie-Bathurst defender and by Steeves from behind the net.

Titan head coach Eric Dubois said the quick two-goal lead wasn’t necessarily the best thing that could have happened to his team.

“No I don’t think so. Lately when we play well against (the big teams) the game was tight for a long, long time, until we reached the third period,” he said. “I thought when we took the lead right away (Sunday) we started opening up the game and I didn’t like it. We were not as physical as we should have been.”

Zack Phillips gave Saint John the lead just under 13 minutes into the first period when he fired a shot from the slot over Steeves’ left shoulder.

“We saw some bad decisions,” said Dubois. “Giving up a four on three on their first goal, not covering the slot, giving them way too much space. Their transition is unbelievable. “

“I was happy with the scoring chances we created but I thought we gave up too many,” said Gallant. “I thought it was a well played first period offensively by both teams, but there were obviously some breakdowns. It was entertaining for sure.”

The Sea Dogs are back on the ice Thursday night at Harbour Station as they face the Moncton Wildcats in another installment of the Rivalry Cup. The Sea Dogs are hoping for a second straight sellout as upper-bowl tickets are just $10. In addition, the Sea Dogs are accepting donations in partnership with Aeropostale for the fifth annual Teens For Jeans campaign. Fans can donate any brand or size of gently worn jeans, which will be given to local charities that serve homeless teens. Fans making a donation will receive a coupon for 25 per cent off a pair of new Aero jeans at Aeropostale, and a chance to win a pair of Aero jeans signed by the Sea Dogs.