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nathan white
telegraph-journal

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SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs continue to own the Prince Edward Island Rocket.

Enlarge Photo

KâtÈ LeBlanc/Telegraph-Journal

Saint John Sea Dogs defenceman Simon Després keeps his eye on the puck before getting checked by P.E.I. Rocket Jean-Christophe Lirette during second period action at Harbour Station Wednesday night. The Sea Dogs won 6-3, extending their winning streak to three games.

The Dogs doubled the Rocket 6-3 before 2,794 fans at Harbour Station Wednesday to stretch their winning streak to three and extend their run of dominance over P.E.I.

Saint John, which swept P.E.I. in last year's playoffs, has not lost to the Rocket in regulation since March 4, 2007. They won five of six meetings last season, outscoring them 43-22, with the lone loss coming in overtime.

Captain Alex Grant was the first star with a goal and two assists, Chris DiDomenico racked up four assists, and Michael Kirkpatrick had a pair of goals. Ryan Sparling had a goal and an assist and David Stich and Yann Sauve tallied single goals. Robert Mayer made 26 saves for the win.

Benjamin Casavant and Simon Olsson had a goal and an assist each for P.E.I. Chris Doyle notched the other marker and Bobby Nadeau had 28 saves in a losing cause.

Sauve's goal at 2:38 of the third period proved to be the game winner. DiDomenico had the puck down low to Nadeau's left and saw Sauve sneaking in unchecked from the point. Sauve's one-timer beat Nadeau upstairs to make it 4-2, giving the big defenceman his first goal of the year.

Grant's goal to make it 3-1 on a power play at 6:43 of the second period was also his first of the year. Nadeau thought he had the puck covered after a fairly harmless shot from the right wing by Payton Liske. But DiDomenico found it, poked it off the goalie, and Grant snuck in and put it over Nadeau.

"It feels pretty good but I'd still like to get better in my own end," said Grant, who has five points in four games since returning from a concussion.

Kirkpatrick's first goal, a short-handed marker 48 seconds into the second period, made it 2-1 and the Dogs led the rest of the way. P.E.I. defenceman Maxime Provencher mishandled Grant's clearance at centre ice, Kirkpatrick picked his pocket, broke in on Nadeau and beat him with a wrist shot high to the glove side.

Saint John dominated the special teams, going 2-for-7 on the power play and 9-for-9 on the penalty kill.

"We were in the game most of the night. The difference was the power play," said P.E.I. coach Guy Chouinard. "We had a 5-on-3 in the first period and a couple power plays where we could have tied the game. And they scored short-handed, which didn't help us."

Saint John coach Jacques Beaulieu was happy with the penalty kill, but disappointed to have taken so many penalties.

"We don't have to do it in practice, we're doing it in games: 18 minutes today," said Beaulieu. "We're so undisciplined right now it's driving me nuts. It's unacceptable and we've got to put an end to it.

After Sauve leveled Mathieu Tousignant with a hit in front of the Saint John bench in the final minute, rookie Sea Dogs forward Stephen Walker dropped the gloves at centre ice with affiliate player Brendan Wright. Walker got several good punches in before getting tied up and absorbing a few extra shots from Wright, who took him down.

Sauve received a five-minute major for kneeing. Tousignant had his right knee examined after the game before limping into the dressing room angrily.

"It obviously was a knee," said Chouinard. "With the score 6-3 at the end, that was a real cheap shot on their part."

Beaulieu disagreed after seeing a replay, which didn't completely show the hit.

"Yann was coming at an angle and (Tousignant) had the puck and his head down," said Beaulieu. "We all know he's the best showboat in the league. He didn't throw his glove until three or four seconds (after going down), he looked at the bench and then threw his glove."

The teams meet again Wednesday in P.E.I.

"Wednesday is going to be a battle, they're not a push-over for sure," said Grant.

Saint John's next game is at home Saturday against the Montreal Junior, a 7 p.m. start.

NOTES: Goalie Robert Mayer, who picked up an assist on Kirkpatrick's second goal, turns 19 today"¦ Mayer's assist was the third of his career. Jason Churchill holds the franchise record for goalies with four career assists"¦ Newcomer Kyle Paige wore No. 26, which belonged to defenceman Jeff McNeil last year. The 20-year-old free agent, who played with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League last year, skated on a line with Chris DiDomenico and Ryan Sparling. He created a couple of chances with Sparling and saw time on both special teams, finishing with two shots and a minor penalty.