BY PATRICK KING
sportsnet.ca
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- The Owen Sound Attack made the Saint John Sea Dogs work for it, but the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champions earned a bye to Sunday’s MasterCard Memorial Cup final.
The Sea Dogs battled back from an early 2-0 deficit to win in an exciting game 3-2 at 17:35 of overtime.
Michael Kirkpatrick sent a pass from the corner out in front to Jonathan Huberdeau, who stopped the puck before firing it top corner over goaltender Jordan Binnington’s blocker.
"(Kirkpatrick) made a very good pass at the end," said Huberdeau. "I could have missed -- I thought I missed it, but it hit the post and went in."
It was a disappointing end to what was a very strong effort from the Attack.
"It comes down to an elite player scoring a huge goal," said Owen Sound head coach Mark Reeds said. "They made a nice play and we got outmuscled on the play and it made it a good play to finish on the game."
The Sea Dogs will now play the 0-2 Kootenay Ice on Tuesday in a game that will have no bearing on Saint John’s future. The Ice will need a win to stay alive and force a tiebreaker on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Attack will play the host Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, the team they beat in overtime of Game 7 in the OHL final, on Wednesday.
With the win, the Sea Dogs end a long drought for the QMJHL by becoming the first league representatives to play in the MasterCard Memorial Cup final since 2006. The Quebec Remparts won the tournament in 2006 over the Moncton Wildcats.
In a game that featured so many dynamic offensive weapons, it was the goaltenders who stole the show.
Binnington was sensational making 41 saves on 44 shots and couldn’t be blamed for the goals he did allow, particularly Huberdeau’s winner.
"He made some big, timely saves and he kept us in the game for a bit when we were running around for a while," Owen Sound captain Garrett Wilson said. "Great game for him and tough to lose for him—we really wanted to get that one for him."
Binnington’s brilliance was acknowledged by his counterpart.
"He played outstanding and what is he, only 17-years-old?" DeSerres said. "Good for him. That’s a lot of pressure for a kid and he seemed to handle it pretty well."
DeSerres was just as important to the Sea Dogs and had it not been for the overage goaltender, the game may have been out of reach quickly. Late in the first period with his team down 2-0, DeSerres made the save that was the turning point. Mike Halmo drove to the net and created a rebound that layed in front of Cameron Brace but DeSerres dove across and somehow got his glove out to make the save.
"It was a big save, but I needed to do it," DeSerres said. "I had a bad start and it left me no room for error for the rest of the game. I battled back and I tried to stop every other puck and it turns out I did."
Despite getting the early pressure and the better chances in the opening minutes, the Sea Dogs fell behind first. Matt Petgrave proved putting the puck on net is never a bad idea when he took a low wrister towards the net that deflected off Gabriel Bourret’s stick and between DeSerres’ legs.
The Attack continued imposing their will on the Sea Dogs early in this contest and nearly scored another quick goal. Halmo went wide around Sea Dogs defenceman Pierre Durepos and cut to the inside. Halmo ran out of real estate when he tried out-waiting goalie DeSerres and fired the puck just wide of the near post.
Tomas Jurco made a few nifty moves by pulling the puck from his backhand between his feet during the game. He got the Sea Dogs’ comeback started when he centered a pass to Stanislav Galiev who fired it over Binnington’s glove. It was the first goal the Attack netminder had allowed since Game 7 of the OHL final, a shutout streak spanning 142 minutes and 28 seconds.
"We’re a pretty gifted offensive hockey team and 2-0 was a deep hole to dig out of," Sea Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant said. "We know we’re never out of a hockey game."
