RECAP: Merry Christmas. Dogs Win 5-2.

FINAL: Saint John 5, Moncton 2

MONCTON – What a way to end the first half.

The Saint John Sea Dogs wrapped up the unofficial first half of the season with a 5-2 victory over the rival Moncton Wildcats in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action on Sunday afternoon.

Stephen MacAulay scored twice while Grant West, Kevin Gagne, and Zack Phillips added singles. Goaltender Mathieu Corbeil made 23 saves for the win.

Moncton had goals from Allain Saulnier and James Melindy. Roman Will allowed four goals on 35 shots in the loss.

Both teams were missing several key players due to injuries and world junior camps. But Saint John got things rolling quick and played well on Sunday. They had a 2-0 lead after one and a 3-1 lead after two.

The Sea Dogs enter the QMJHLs’ holiday break with a record of 28-10-0-1 for 57 points. They sit two points back of the league-leading Quebec Remparts who have two games on-hand. They are on a two-game winning streak and are 7-3-0-0 in their last 10.

Moncton on the other hand enters the break on a sour note. They sit 12^th in the league with a record of 17-18-2-0 and are on a six-game losing streak.

Saint John will not play again until December 28. But, the holiday trading period opens tomorrow. Buckle up.

FIRST PERIOD

Pierre Durepos let a point shot go early on in the first period that hit the glove of Roman Will and stayed out. Then the Wildcats had a decent chance moments later as they tried to jam it in past the pads of Sea Dogs goaltender Mathieu Corbeil.

A little later on, Christophe Lalonde came down the wing and let a shot go that was padded away by Corbeil. Then, Danick Gauthier was parked at the bottom of the circle and fired the puck into the glove of Will.

Saint John made it 1-0 at 11:45.  Grant West made a beautiful deke to get around Will and slide the disc in to make it 1-0 Sea Dogs.

Corbeil made a good glove save soon after the goal, robbing Ross Johnston.

The Dogs headed to the power play at 14:34. At 14:49, Zack Phillips fed Stephen MacAulay with a cross ice pass. MacAulay was alone in front and fired the puck past Will to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage.

Gauthier had a great chance moments later in front. With Will out of position, the puck was loose above the crease but couldn’t jam it past the Moncton ‘tender.

The Wildcats headed to the power play at 17:56 but couldn’t get much of anything going.

Shots were 13-6 in favour of Saint John in the first period.

SECOND PERIOD

Kevin Gagne gave the Sea Dogs a 3-0 lead at 1:19 of the second period. He let a shot go from along the boards that beat Will glove side to extend Saint John’s lead.

Moncton headed to the power play at 4:26 as Scott Oke went off. On the man advantage, Allain Saulnier got the Wildcats on the board at 4:42 to make it a 3-1 game.

Some four-on-four action began at 5:42. During that time span, Aidan Kelly fed Phillips while enjoying a three-on-one but Will made the stop. Soon after, Phillips was in the high slot but blasted it wide.

Oliver Cooper headed to the box at 8:26 and then Charles-Oliver Roussel joined him at 9:31. After the Wildcats took a time-out, James Melindy blasted the puck off the crossbar. Then on a shorthanded two-on-one, Gauthier kept the puck but missed the net. The ‘Cats had some good pressure on the man advantage but couldn’t convert.

Back at even strength, Saint John started to get things rolling again. A Jason Seed point shot was fumbled by Will but he quickly covered the puck. Then Gauthier was in front while Will was screened but missed the cage. Kelly had a breakaway late in the period but sailed his backhander wide.

Saint John headed to the power play at 18:55 when Brandon Shea was called for tripping. The Sea Dogs had some good pressure on the man advantage but couldn’t score before the horn blew.

Shots were 11-8 in favour of Moncton in the middle frame.

THIRD PERIOD

The Sea Dogs failed to connect on the power play that carried over into the third, so the score remained 3-1. A few moments later, Phillips had one of his many chances when he was in front but sent the puck high of the goal.

Moncton made it a one-goal game at 2:48. James Melindy finished off a passing play, making it a 3-2 game with lots of time remaining.

Saint John got their two-goal lead back at 8:06. MacAulay broke in on a breakaway and beat Will five-hole to make it 4-2 in favour of Saint John.

Later on in the period, Roussel put a big hit on Lalonde by the Saint John bench.

Saint John went to the power play at 11:57. They had some good pressure on but couldn’t extend their lead.

Back at even strength, the puck was centered to Cooper in the crease but he couldn’t get a shot off. A few moments later, MacAulay came down the wing looking for his third goal but Will blockered it away. Then, Oke blasted the puck wide on a two-on-one.

Moncton pulled their goaltender with plenty of time left. But at 18:32, Phillips iced the game by scoring an empty netter, making it a 5-2 final.

Shots were 15-8 Saint John in the third.

The Sea Dogs went 1-for-3 on the power play while the Wildcats went 1-for-4.

NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow on SN.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs take a break for Christmas and return to action on December 28 in Bathurst.