Recap: Sea Dogs win 5-2

FINAL: Cape Breton 2, Saint John 5

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs are now just one point back of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's final playoff spot.

The Sea Dogs picked up a crucial 5-2 victory over the Cape Breton Eagles on Tuesday at TD Station, giving them 47 points on the season. The Val-d'Or Foreurs, who currently own the 16th and final playoff spot, have 48 points. Both teams have seven games remaining.

Alex Drover, playing his former team for the final time, led Saint John with a hat trick on Tuesday. Charlie DesRoches, meanwhile, had a goal and two assists and Brady Burns one goal and one assist. Ventsislav Shingarov made 36 stops in the win.

Cam Squires, who has now scored in six straight games, and Ivan Ivan connected for Cape Breton. Oliver Satny made 37 stops in the loss.

LINEUP

Burns - Burbidge - Reinhart

Simek - Reynolds - Elie

Mateiko - Cournoyer - Drover

Beaulieu - Benoit

Tivey - DesRoches

Bilodeau - Akkouche

Ianniello - Cosman

Despont

Shingarov

Brideau

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without defenseman Jeremie Richard (injury) along with forwards Nico Laforge (injury), Sam-Luca Thifault (injury), Nathan Casey (injury) and Harrison Ballard (injury).

LAST MEETING: This was the ninth and final meeting of the season between the Sea Dogs and Eagles. Saint John finishes with a 5-3-1-0 record.

NOTES: Saint John went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen once again... Brady Burns had seven shots... this was the second hat trick of Alex Drover's QMJHL career... Saint John struggled in the faceoff dot again, winning just 28 of 66 draws... dangerous shots in the game were 25-25... after going 2/2 on the power play on Sunday, Saint John went 3/7 in this game... hits, were listed as 19-1 in favour of the Eagles... attendance was 2,750.

HIGHLIGHTS

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs take on the Wildcats in Moncton on Friday night at 7 p.m.