Joseph scores shootout winner as the Sea Dogs top Sags

CHICOUTIMI – Mathieu Joseph scored the shootout winner in the third round as the Saint John Sea Dogs upended the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, 4-3, Saturday afternoon at Centre Georges-Vezina.

Thomas Chabot, Kyle Ward and Adam Marsh scored for Saint John (15-10-1-0) in regulation time while Sam Povorozniouk added a shootout marker.

Gabryel Boudreau had goals in regulation time and the shootout for Chicoutimi (10-12-1-2), with Antoine Marcoux and Jonathan Bourcier adding singles in regulation.

A complete scoring summary is available HERE.

The Sagueneens opened the scoring with a power play goal seven minutes into the game.

Marcoux took the puck to the inside edge of the right circle and whistled a wrist shot under the glove of Sea Dogs’ goalie Alex Bishop.

Chabot tied it up 56 seconds later when he noticed Chicoutimi making a line change and skated up the left wing, ripping a wrist shot through the legs of the defenceman and over Billia’s right shoulder.

The Sagueneens nearly went back on top halfway through the period when a pass from behind the Sea Dog goal went high in the air and was batted into the net. Officials ruled Chicoutimi knocked the puck in with a high stick.

Ward gave Saint John its first lead with under seven minutes remaining in the frame.

Nathan Noel created a turnover near the Sea Dog blueline and chipped the puck ahead to Ward. The Sackville-native carried it up the left side and snapped a long wrist shot that beat a surprised Billia, high on his stick side.

But the Sagueneens struck back about three minutes later when Roy stole the puck behind the Saint John goal and found Bourcier sneaking into the slot. Chicoutimi’s leading scorer deposited a wrist shot inside the right post.

Marsh scored the only goal of the second period just before the three-minute mark.

The Detroit Red Wings’ draft pick took a pass on the left wing and fired a hard wrister from a sharp angle that went over Billia’s stick side and under the cross bar.

Saint John carried a 3-2 lead into the third period.

Chicoutimi drew even again with three-and-a-half minutes to go when Boudreau, the San Jose Sharks’ prospect, corralled the rebound of his own blocked shot and sent a wrister from the slot over Bishop’s blocker.

Povorozniouk appeared to end the game two minutes into overtime when he waltzed into the Sagueneens’ zone, got through a pair of defenders and put a shot on Billia. The rebound bounced into the net as Povorozniouk made contact with the goalie. The officials ruled incidental contact with Billia led to the puck entering the net and waved off the potential game-winner.

Boudreau scored as the first shooter in the shootout, deking to his left and lifting the puck over a fallen Bishop.

The teams then traded stops, giving Povorozniouk a chance in the second round.

The overage winger, who had a three-game goal-scoring streak snapped in the contest, moved in and ripped a low wrist shot that beat Billia under his glove.

Nicolas Roy was robbed on his attempt in the third round.

The first-overall pick in the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft deked to his right and tried to slide the puck inside the left post, but Bishop sprawled along the goal line and stymied the talented centre with his catching glove.

Joseph, playing his seventh game in ten days, ended the affair with the next shot.

The Chambly, Quebec, native charged toward the goal and stepped to his right, knifing a backhander along the ice and through Billia’s legs for the shootout winner.

Bishop got the victory in goal with 23 stops and two more in the shootout. Billia made 26 saves through 65 minutes of game play, and one more in the penalty shot contest.

Roy had two assists and was named first star while Boudreau’s goals in regulation and the shootout made him second star. Marsh’s goal and six shots prompted a third-star selection in front of 2,081 fans in attendance.

Saint John’s next game is Thursday, November 26th, at 7 p.m. against the Quebec Remparts at Harbour Station. It’s Bingo Night in support of the Empty Stocking Fund.

Tickets are available at the Harbour Station Box Office, online at harbourstation.ca or by calling 657-1234. Listen LIVE on 96.1 NewSong FM or newsongfm.ca. Watch LIVE on theqmjhl.ca.