Newfie John
9-24-05, 12:24 PM
St. John?s Fog Devils player Jean-Simon Allard (left) prevents a Lewiston MAINEiacs player from getting to the puck during Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at Mile One Stadium Friday evening. Playing in their first home game, the Fog Devils beat the MAINEiacs 3-2 in a shootout.KEITH GOSSE/THE TELEGRAM
Brandon Verge was outstanding in net with a 42-save effort and Anthony Pototschnik scored the only goal in the shootout as the St. John?s Fog Devils won their first Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game at Mile One Stadium with a 3-2 victory over the Lewiston MAINEiacs Friday night.
A pair of Newfoundlanders ? Scott Brophy of the Southern Shore and Paradise native Wes Welcher ? scored for the Fog Devils, who improved to 2-1. Mathieu Aubin and Pier-Luc Champagne replied for Lewiston.
A sellout crowd of 6,247 greeted the Fog Devils following an impressive opening ceremony that saw the debut of Scorch, the team?s devilish little mascot.
And while the Fog Devils received a loud ovation as they were introduced by Hall of Famer Bob Cole from Hockey Night in Canada, it was nothing to ovation reserved for Rex Goudie of Canadian Idol fame, who sung the Ode to Newfoundland.
But despite the rousing opener, a nervous-looking Fog Devils struggled through most of the opening 20 minutes.
In fact, Lewiston, playing its first game in the year, limited St. John?s to just one shot through 13 minutes.
But Verge, the game?s first star, kept the MAINEiacs off the scoreboard with several big saves early on.
Brophy scored opener
Brophy finally gave fans something to cheer about, netting the first junior hockey goal at Mile One when his backhand on a goalmouth scramble eluded Jonathan Bernier at 5:34 of the second period.
It was fitting the Fog Devils? captain potted the first goal after St. John?s coach/GM Real Paiement made the Torbay resident the first official Fog Devil by selecting him first in the league?s expansion draft in June.
The goal came just 1:16 after Lewiston?s Jakub Bundil appeared to have opened scoring.
After initially ruling it a goal, to Verge?s protest, referee Ghislain Herbert ruled Bundil?s shot rang off the post after conferring with his linesmen.
The MAINEiacs replied just over a minute after Brophy?s tally when Aubin slipped the puck past an outstretched Verge from the side of the net.
Welcher restored the St. John?s lead 6:43 into the third period when his shot from the top of the faceoff circle found its way past a screened Bernier.
But Champagne tied it at the 14:09 mark when he pounced on a loose puck after Verge made the first save, a 2-2 score which stood through the third period and overtime.
Lewiston outshot St. John?s 43-24.
The teams meet again 7 o?clock Monday night and 7 p.m. Tuesday.
rshort@thetelegram.com
These games are very exciting. I'm not going to say they're better then the leaf games yet because they'll always have a spot in my hockey loving heart, but these guys are growing on me quick.
Brandon Verge was outstanding in net with a 42-save effort and Anthony Pototschnik scored the only goal in the shootout as the St. John?s Fog Devils won their first Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game at Mile One Stadium with a 3-2 victory over the Lewiston MAINEiacs Friday night.
A pair of Newfoundlanders ? Scott Brophy of the Southern Shore and Paradise native Wes Welcher ? scored for the Fog Devils, who improved to 2-1. Mathieu Aubin and Pier-Luc Champagne replied for Lewiston.
A sellout crowd of 6,247 greeted the Fog Devils following an impressive opening ceremony that saw the debut of Scorch, the team?s devilish little mascot.
And while the Fog Devils received a loud ovation as they were introduced by Hall of Famer Bob Cole from Hockey Night in Canada, it was nothing to ovation reserved for Rex Goudie of Canadian Idol fame, who sung the Ode to Newfoundland.
But despite the rousing opener, a nervous-looking Fog Devils struggled through most of the opening 20 minutes.
In fact, Lewiston, playing its first game in the year, limited St. John?s to just one shot through 13 minutes.
But Verge, the game?s first star, kept the MAINEiacs off the scoreboard with several big saves early on.
Brophy scored opener
Brophy finally gave fans something to cheer about, netting the first junior hockey goal at Mile One when his backhand on a goalmouth scramble eluded Jonathan Bernier at 5:34 of the second period.
It was fitting the Fog Devils? captain potted the first goal after St. John?s coach/GM Real Paiement made the Torbay resident the first official Fog Devil by selecting him first in the league?s expansion draft in June.
The goal came just 1:16 after Lewiston?s Jakub Bundil appeared to have opened scoring.
After initially ruling it a goal, to Verge?s protest, referee Ghislain Herbert ruled Bundil?s shot rang off the post after conferring with his linesmen.
The MAINEiacs replied just over a minute after Brophy?s tally when Aubin slipped the puck past an outstretched Verge from the side of the net.
Welcher restored the St. John?s lead 6:43 into the third period when his shot from the top of the faceoff circle found its way past a screened Bernier.
But Champagne tied it at the 14:09 mark when he pounced on a loose puck after Verge made the first save, a 2-2 score which stood through the third period and overtime.
Lewiston outshot St. John?s 43-24.
The teams meet again 7 o?clock Monday night and 7 p.m. Tuesday.
rshort@thetelegram.com
These games are very exciting. I'm not going to say they're better then the leaf games yet because they'll always have a spot in my hockey loving heart, but these guys are growing on me quick.