Recap: Sea Dogs win 6-3

FINAL: Charlottetown 3, Saint John 6

QUISPAMSIS - The Saint John Sea Dogs opened up the 2019 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League pre-season with a solid victory over the Charlottetown Islanders at the Quispamsis qplex, winning 6-3.

Returning forward Alexis Belisle led the way with two goals while singles came from free agent Connor McCluskey and draft picks Charles Savoie, Charles-Antoine Dumont and Carter McCluskey.

Justin Gill, Cameron Brown and Charles-Olivier Nadeau scored for Charlottetown.

Stewart Bagnell started the game in net for the Dogs and made 10 stops on 11 shots. 2019 draft pick Justin Pace took over midway through the game and allowed two goals on 11 shots.

Isaak Pelletier and Nolan Boyd combined to made 33 saves in the Charlottetown net.

The Sea Dogs website has a full game recap.

LINEUP

CONNOR RICHARD
WILLIAM POIRIER
WILLIAM VILLENUEVE
ALEX DROVER
JOSHUA ROY
CHARLES SAVOIE
ALEXIS BELISLE
RILEY BEZEAU
CHARLES-ANTOINE DUMONT
WILLIAM GAGNON

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) August 18, 2019

ELLIOT ST.PIERRE
CARTER MCCLUSKEY
KALE MCCALLUM
JOONA LEHMUS
CONNOR MCCLUSKEY
ALEX WYNTER
DYLAN MACLEOD
DAWSON STAIRS
STEWART BAGNELL
JUSTIN PACE

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) August 18, 2019

MUSIC PROBS: The music/sound at the qplex stopped a few minutes before warm up and didn't return until some speakers were set up in one end of the building late in the first period. With no sound, the game started without an anthem.

FIRST APPEARANCE: Saint John's two prized draft picks from the off-season - forward Joshua Roy and defenseman Joona Lehmus - made their Sea Dogs debuts on Sunday. Roy picked up two assists in the game and was a +4.

QUICK GOALS: Saint John scored three goals in a 1:07 span to quickly pull ahead 4-0 in the second period. The quick trio of goals put the Dogs in complete control of the match.

McCLUSKEY CONNECTION: There was a cool moment in the second period when Connor McCluskey found his younger brother Carter McCluskey at the side of the net to put Saint John up 5-1 at the time. Both played midget hockey with the Vito's. Connor, a free agent invite, had a goal and two assists in the game.

QPLEX SUCCESS: The Sea Dogs are now 4-1 all-time at the qplex, with their only loss coming in 2017 against the Halifax Mooseheads.

Aug. 27, 2011: PEI 4, Saint John 5 (SO)
Aug. 17, 2012: PEI 2, Saint John 6
Aug. 17, 2013: Bathurst 1, Saint John 7
Aug. 27, 2017: Halifax 3, Saint John 2
Aug. 18, 2019: Charlottetown 3, Saint John 6

NOTES: Connor Richard took a big open ice hit in the first period and appeared to be in some discomfort as he went back to the bench. He did not return. Richard started the game on a line with Joshua Roy and Alexis Belisle... William Poirier and Nathan Martel had a spirited fight in the third period... it's obviously very early, but the Sea Dogs putting up nearly 40 shots is a positive sign... attendance was 623.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs take on the Titan in Bathurst on Tuesday at 7 p.m.