Recap: Sea Dogs lose 5-4

FINAL: Saint John 4, Chicoutimi 5

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

CHICOUTIMI, QC - The Saint John Sea Dogs came up just short in the first game of their three-game Quebec road trip on Wednesday.

Felix Bedard's power play goal at 3:32 of the third period proved to be the winner in the Chicoutimi Sagueneens' 5-4 win over the Sea Dogs at the Georges-Vezina Centre.

Bedard and Emmanuel Vermette both scored early power play goals in third period that gave the Sagueneens a 5-3 advantage at the time. The goals came as the Sea Dogs were trying to kill off a five-minute major that was handed to Jared Cosman for a check-to-the-head late in the second period.

Cole Burbidge scored at 17:24 to get the Sea Dogs within one and then the Sags took a too many men penalty with 1:18 remaining. Despite pulling Olivier Brideau and producing some strong offensive zone pressure on Chicoutimi's big ice, the Sea Dogs could not net the equalizer.

Fabrice Fortin, Loic Usereau and Samuel Vachon also scored for Chicoutimi. Charles-Antoine Lavallee made 27 saves in the win.

Burbidge, Vince Elie, Brady Burns and Peter Reynolds scored for Saint John. Brideau made 37 stops in the loss.

LINEUP

Burns - Reynolds - Drover

Thifault - Burbidge - Reinhart

Mateiko - Cournoyer - Elie

Laforge - Ballard

Tivey - DesRoches

Bilodeau - Cosman

Akkouche - Despont

Ianniello

Brideau

Shingarov

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without defenseman Jeremie Richard (healthy) and forwards Jacob Beaulieu (healthy), Luka Benoit (healthy), Nathan Casey (healthy) and Pavel Simek (injury).

DEBUT: The newly signed Giuseppe Ianniello made his Sea Dogs debut, dressing as the team's seventh defensemen. He finished a -1 in the game.

WELCOME BACK: Sea Dogs captain Charlie DesRoches returned to the Saint John lineup from injury. He hadn't played since Dec. 7. The 20-year-old had plenty of ice time in his return and finished the game with an assist and two shots.

NOTES: The Sea Dogs dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen... Samuel Vachon's second period goal was the first of his QMJHL career... Jared Cosman was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking to the head late in the second period. The Sags scored twice on that power play... Brady Burns had seven shots... Eriks Mateiko had two assists... Saint John won 36 of 59 faceoffs... attendance was 1,783.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs travel to Baie-Comeau to face the Drakkar tomorrow at 8 p.m.