Sea Dogs Top Islanders in High Scoring Affair
October 7, 2022 – Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) – Saint John Sea Dogs News Release
Saint John Sea Dogs’ Brady Burns versus Charlottetown Islanders’ Anton Topilnyckyj
(Saint John Sea Dogs)
Brady Burns and Peter Reynolds each had three point nights as the Saint John Sea Dogs (2-1-0-0) came out on top of a high-scoring affair against the Charlottetown Islanders (1-1-0-0) 7-4.
Cam MacDonald was also a driving force all night for the Sea Dogs, opening the scoring and leading his team with eight shots and eight hits.
Giovanni Morneau and Jakub Brabanec each had a goal and an assist in their efforts for the Islanders while Michael Horth had two goals and a game-high nine shots.
Ventsislav Shingarov made 34 saves in the win for the Sea Dogs while Oliver Statny was also strong for the Islanders stopping 31 shots.
The Sea Dogs had firm control of the pace of play in the first, not allowing an Islander shot for the opening 11:47 of play.
At 4:25 into the first, MacDonald would force a neutral zone turnover resulting in a 2-on-0 break that he would finish, putting it five-hole on Statny for the opening goal.
Jared Cosman would make it 2-0 just under six minutes later, finding the puck with plenty of room at the point that he would put through traffic and blocker-side on Statny, who was screened by his own player, for the Grand Bay-Westfield native’s first as a Sea Dog.
Sam Bowness would finally get a shot on the board for the Islanders at 11:47, and it was a quality one, all alone in front, catching the Sea Dogs too committed to the right side of the ice, but he could not beat Ventsislav Shingarov.
Burns would continue the Sea Dogs offensive push at 16:58, capitalizing on another costly turnover by the Islanders, this time at their own hash marks, and would put a slick move on Statny to make it 3-0.
The Islanders would answer just 55 seconds later as Morneau squeezed a wrap-around underneath Shingarov to make it 3-1 heading to first intermission.
Shots at the end of the first were 13-6 for the Sea Dogs.
The second period started much better for the Islanders as Michael Horth drove to the net and had the puck deflect off his lower body and into the Sea Dogs net to cut the lead to 3-2 just 26 seconds in.
The goal was reviewed for a suspected kicking motion, but would stand as a good goal.
MacDonald added to the early period chaos just 44 seconds later, getting sprung on a breakaway, deking to his right only to be denied his second goal of the contest by the left pad of Statny.
At 5:13, Cole Burbidge managed to rip a quality shot off amidst a sizable crowd in front, but he could not restore the two-goal advantage either.
2:26 later however, amidst some 4-on-4 action, Reynolds would find Burns with a cross ice pass that Burns would toe-drag around an Islander defender and put top shelf to restore the two-goal lead with his second of the night, which would stand into second intermission.
Shots after the second were 25-17 for the Sea Dogs.
Starting on the dying seconds of a second period power-play, the Islanders would catch the Sea Dogs off guard again to start the third period as Morneau put a shot off the pads of Shingarov that Brabenec would clean-up to make it 4-3 just 31 seconds into the third period.
The Sea Dogs would answer five minutes later, with Reynolds this time being the benefactor of a long-range pass from Burns that he would cruise into the Islanders zone with and bury to make it 5-3.
MacDonald would come close to padding the Sea Dogs lead off the next faceoff, once again breaking in behind the Islander defence for a glorious chance that Statny was again equal to the task of.
With just 8:42 remaining, a tripping call on Charlie DesRoches gave the Islanders a 4-on-3 advantage for 1:38.
Charlottetown came close, putting five high danger shots on net, but Shingarov came up big with some of his best saves of the game to hold the lead.
His teammates would reward him shortly after on a power-play of their own as Vincent Despont fired a slapshot from the point past Statny for his first QMJHL goal to finally put the game out of reach for the Islanders.
Horth added a late power-play goal for the Islanders and Burbidge would pot an empty-netter to make the final score 7-4.
Final shots were 37-37.
Alpine 3 Stars
1 Brady Burns (2G 1A)
2 Peter Reynolds (1G 2A)
3 Michael Horth (2 G)
Full Stats
Tomorrow, Saturday, October 8th, the Saint John Alpines will drop the ceremonial puck to start the game against the Victoriaville Tigres to celebrate their NBSBL Championship. Puck drop is at 7 PM and tickets are available at the TD Station Box Office andonline.
Season ticket members can pick up their commemorative rings at Sea Dogs Styles starting Wednesday, October 12th.
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