Wildcats 2-0 After Opening Weekend in the QMJHL

The Wildcats find themselves 2-0 after the opening weekend in the QMJHL. The Cats defeated the PEI Rocket 8-2 on Friday night and then beat the Saint John SeaDogs 3-1 on Saturday night.

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Wildcats Defeat Rocket in Home Opener

The Wildcats started the season off with a bang. The Wildcats defeated the PEI Rocket 8-2 in their opening game of the 2008/2009 QMJHL season.

The Cats got it going at 10:06 when Scott Brannon got his first goal of the season. Scott Brannon struck again 1:46 later, scoring an unassisted goal to put the home team up 2-0. The Wildcats went up 3-0 at 13:25 when Ted Stephens got his first goal of three on the night. Stephens scored again at 17:15 to put the Wildcats up 4-0. The Wildcats outshot the Rocket 14-7 in the first period.

The Rocket got two quick goals from Ben Duffy to start the second period, to cut the Cats lead to 4-2. But the Wildcats came back at 7:49, Sasha Fomin got his first goal in the Q, to put the Wildcats lead up to 5-2. Devon MacAusland got a goal at 10:10, his first, to put the Wildcats up 6-2. It was at that point that Rocket starting goalie, Bobby Nadeau, was pulled in favour of Evan Mosher. It didn't seem to stop the bleeding. The Wildcats got a goal at 12:32 from Matt Brown to go up 7-2. Ted Stephens scored 10 seconds later to put the home team up 8-2. It was Stephens third goal of the game and is first ever hattrick in the Q. Moncton heavily outshot PEI in the middle frame, 20-8.

The third period was scoreless. PEI held the edge in shots, outshooting the Wildcats 11-8.

Final shots on goal :
Moncton - 14 + 20 + 8 = 42
PEI - 7 + 8 + 11 = 26

Three Stars
1. Ted Stephens - Moncton
2. Matt Eagles - Moncton
3. Ben Duffy - PEI

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Wildcats Post Win Over Saint John

The Wildcats were coming off a 8-2 win the previous night, while Saint John was coming off a 3-2 come-from-behind overtime win against Bathurst. Saint John was missing a lot of their key players, but it came down to a goaltenders duel between Nicola Riopel and Robert Mayer. It was Moncton coming out on top, with a 3-1 win.

The Wildcats opened the scoring at 1:58, when Ted Stephens got his 4th goal of this early season to make it 1-0 for the Wildcats. Saint John tied up the game before the period would end. Francois Gauthier tied the game at 16:30. The shots were even at 12 in the opening period.

Scott Brannon scored the lone goal of the second period at 19:56, to put the Wildcats up 2-1 going into the final period. Moncton outshot Saint John 22-12 in the middle frame.

Scott Brannon sealed the game with only seven seconds left on the clock, when he beat SeaDogs goalie Robert Mayer on a late powerplay. Saint John held a a slight edge in shots in the third, 9-6.

Final shots on goal :
Moncton - 12 + 22 + 6 = 40
Saint John - 12 + 12 + 9 = 33

Three Stars
1. Robert Mayer - Saint John
2. Nicola Riopel - Moncton
3. Brandon Gormley - Moncton

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Moncton returns to action next Saturday night, when the travel to Charlottetown to take on the PEI Rocket.