RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 4-2

FINAL: Val-d'Or 4, Saint John 2

Lorne Webster | SN Staff

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs lost to the Val-d'Or Foreurs 4-2 Saturday evening on Halloween Night at Harbour Station.

The result extended the Sea Dogs' streak of consecutive losses to nine.

Veteran goaltender Etienne Montpetit turned in an impressive 31 save performance in his return to Harbour Station - after being swept in the second round of the 2017 playoffs by the eventual President Cup champions from Saint John.

Mathieu Nadeu - in his first game back from a suspension - led Val-d'Or with two goals. David Noel and Alexandre Couture also scored for the Foreurs.

Cole Reginato and Kevin Gursoy replied for Saint John. Alex D'Orio continued his strong play on the season with 28 saves.

NOTES

• After a strong start to the game, things got spooky quickly for the Sea Dogs around the midpoint of the opening frame. First, Nadeau scored a power play goal at 12:45, when he banged in a rebound off a scramble. The Foreurs' power play would strike again at 18:53, when Noel's blast from the point found the right corner past a screened D'Orio.
• Val-d'Or took advantage of a deflated Port City squad seconds later when Couture slid the puck past a fallen D'Orio at 19:15 - after the Sea Dogs 'keeper had made stops on two previous close range shots.
• Reginato got the hosts on the board on a power play at 1:43 of the second, when he snapped a cross ice pass from Gursoy past Montpetit.
• Montpetit made three big saves shortly after Reginato's goal, including thwarting Anthony Boucher at the end of a two-on-one rush with Joe Veleno.
• Nadeau re-established Val-d'Or's three goal lead at 17:15 of the second as we one-timed the rebound off a two-on-one rush with Adam Cheezo.
• With 20 seconds left in the game, Gursoy gave the Sea Dogs faithful a reason to cheer as he snapped the rebound of a Alexis Girard point shot past Montpetit to make the final score 4-2.
• Foreurs defensive stalwards David Noel and David Henley were on the ice every second shift - as well as being on the first power play unit and much of Val-d'Or's penalty kill.
• A family with a baby Batman, lady Robin and The Penguin won the Sea Dogs Halloween costume contest during the second intermission.
• Per Rogers TV's Aaron Kennedy, rumours are circulating that former Saint John Flames head coach Bill Stewart has made it known that he is interested in joining the Sea Dogs coaching staff. It will be interesting to see if Trevor Georgie wants to add an established coach such as Stewart to fill the void left by the departure of Paul ('Boots') Boutilier to the AHL.

LINEUP

Here's tonight's #SJSeaDogs lineup, brought to you by @CantrburyDental. #AlwaysWearYourMouthguard pic.twitter.com/ZXjjrGTwcC

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) October 28, 2017

SCRATCHES
Veteran Bailey Webster took warm-up but was held out with flu-like symptoms. Samuel Leblanc, Ben Reid, Nicholas Deakin-Poot and Landon Quinney were healthy scratches. Many Sea Dogs fans are beginning to wonder if they'll ever see Deakin-Poot play at Harbour Station.

TURNING POINT
A pair of goals by the Foreurs 22 seconds apart late in the first period were back breakers for a fragile Sea Dogs squad.

SN STARS OF THE GAME
1. Etienne Montpetit
2. Mathieu Nadeau
3. Cole Reginato

NEXT GAME
Saint John hosts the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m.