The Saint John Sea Dogs may have come to the Memorial Cup through the back door, but they reminded everyone why they were one of the best teams in Canada this winter in the tournament opener. .
Raivis Kristians Ansons broke the tie late in the first period and the New Brunswick club defeated the Hamilton Bulldogs 5-3 on Monday at TD Station.
The Sea Dogs were back in action after a 38-day hiatus following a surprise first-round elimination to the Rimouski Oceanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
They had yet won their last 15 games on the regular schedule, and 26 of their last 28 meetings before the playoffs.
The playoff slump led to the dismissal of head coach Gordie Dwyer. Gardiner MacDougall, who headed the hockey program at the University of New Brunswick, took over, along with former tough guy Rocky Thompson.
The electroshock seems to have worked, while the Sea Dogs played with conviction.
Ansons also had two assists, while linemates Philippe Daoust and Ryan Francis had three assists and one goal and two assists, respectively.
Yan Kuznetsov, William Dufour, MVP in the QMJHL, and Peter Reynolds, in an empty net, also hit the target for the host team of the tournament. Nikolas Hurtubise made 17 saves.
Hurtubise made his best save of the game with just over five minutes left in the second period and the Sea Dogs lead was 3-1. He made a good lateral move to his right to frustrate Avery Hayes on a two-man Bulldogs attack on the keeper.
Francis scored a few minutes later, giving the Sea Dogs a cushion that lasted until the end of the game despite the Ontario champions’ attempt to come back.
The Bulldogs swept the first three rounds of the OHL playoffs before needing seven games to defeat the Windsor Spitfires in the final. Their stars were held in check for long periods against the Sea Dogs. Then their attempt to come back came up short.
Ryan Winterton had two goals and an assist and Hayes had a goal and an assist. Logan Morrison had three assists and Marco Costantini stopped 31 shots.
The Shawinigan Cataractes, champions of the QMJHL, and the Edmonton Oil Kings, champions of the WHL, will begin their course on Tuesday.
The Canadian Press
Source: Radio-Canada
