Saturday, October 6, 2018

RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 7-1

FINAL: Saint John 1, Bathurst 7
BATHURST - The Saint John Sea Dogs could only play with fire for so long before getting burned on Friday night at the KC Irving Regional Centre.

The Sea Dogs were able to kill off the first five Acadie-Bathurst Titan power plays but couldn't contain them all - and it proved costly in a 7-1 loss to the Memorial Cup champions. The Titan scored the game-winner and an insurance marker on the same man advantage in what proved to be a goal heavy third for the Titan.

Bathurst entered the game with a solid 25% rating on the power play, but the Dogs struggled to stay out of the box at key times - and it burned them.

Saint John played a fairly solid game until a disastrous third period, which saw the club allow seven goals. The team continue to have better starts and the squad finally scored the opening goal of a game on Friday - but the wheels completely fell off in the third. The Sea Dogs have not won a game since opening weekend.

Cole Rafuse continues to be a Sea Dogs killer, scoring two on Friday to add to the four goals he scored against Saint John earlier this season. Noah Dobson also scored twice while solo markers came from Alexandre David, Charles-Andre Cypihot, Brandon Cianflone. Mark Grametbauer made 31 saves in the win.

Yohan Plamondon scored Saint John's lone goal. Alex D'Orio made 23 saves in the loss.

The Sea Dogs and Titan opened the game with a scoreless first period. Saint John had a 9-6 shots edge thanks to two power plays compared to Bathurst's one. The Dogs were, once again, unable to convert on either man advantage.

Saint John opened the scoring at 14:16. Plamondon corralled the puck in the neutral zone and carried it into the circle. The Sea Dogs forward fired a low shot between the legs of Grametbauer to give Saint John a 1-0 advantage.

Bathurst tied the game at 7:01 of the third period. Logan Chisolm was at the point and fired a wrist shot towards the goals that was redirected by Rafuse, making it a 1-1 game.

Just 1:20 later, Rafuse scored again to put Bathurst in front 2-1. On a power play, Rafuse cut in front and backhanded the puck past D'Orio's shoulder, giving the Titan their first lead of the game.

With William Poirier still in the box serving his double minor for high sticking, the Titan scored again at 9:10. Dobson fired a hard wrist shot past D'Orio to give Bathurst a 3-1 advantage.

At 12:08, the Titan capitalized on an ugly turnover in the Saint John end. The puck was put on a platter for David who fired a wrist shot top corner on D'Orio to give the Titan a 4-1 lead.

Saint John pulled D'Orio with roughly five minutes remaining in the third. Dobson took advantage, scoring an empty net goal with 4:37 remaining to make it 5-1.

With 36.9 seconds remaining, Cypihot scored his first QMJHL goal on a two-on-one, making it 6-1. Then with 5.2 seconds remaining, Cianflone scored to make it a 7-1 final

LINEUP
SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without forwards Anthony Boucher (suspension), Nicholas Deakin-Poot (concussion) and Christian Clark; and defensemen Nathan Larose and Tyler Higgins.

Boucher received a two-game suspension for his boarding major on Thursday night.

NOTES: Yohan Plamondon's goal was his first of the season... all of Cole Rafuse's goals this season have come against Saint John... this was Bathurst's first home win of the season... Saint John is now 0-3 on the road... a positive: Saint John has been much better in first periods the past two games... William Villeneuve picked up his first QMJHL point - an assist - on Plamondon's goal.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs take on the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Harbour Station.

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