RECAP: Closing Time. Dogs Win 7-4.

FINAL: Saint John 7, Cape Breton 4

SYDNEY, NS – Another regular season is in the books for the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Saint John’s 68-game season schedule came to a close on Saturday with a 7-4 win over the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles at Centre 200 in Sydney. The Sea Dogs and Eagles will meet in the first-round of the playoffs beginning next Friday at Harbour Station.

It was another historic night for the Sea Dogs. The win gave the team a final record of 50-15-0-3, making them the first team in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League history to record three straight 50-win seasons. The Dogs also became the first team in history to win three consecutive regular season titles and registered back-to-back-to-back 100-point campaigns.

It was also a historic night for one individual. With two goals, Danick Gauthier broke Mike Hoffman’s team record for goals in a season. Gauthier’s amazing season ends with an unreal 47 goals, just edging Hoffman’s 46 set in 2009-10.

As for the game, it certainly wasn’t Saint John’s greatest performance. The Dogs were outplayed badly in the opening half of the first period and then struggled again in the third in a game that didn’t mean a whole lot. Luckily for the Dogs they played very well enough in the second half of the first and entire second period to earn the win.

Along with Gauthier’s two goals, Saint John had markers from Stephen MacAulay, Ryan Tesink, Aidan Kelly, Dylan McGuigan, and Stanislav Galiev. Charlie Coyle and Jonathan Huberdeau each added two assists.

Mathieu Corbeil allowed three goals on 19 shots before getting the hook in the third period. Sebastien Auger allowed one on nine shots in relief.

Cape Breton had goals from Kyle Farrell, Alexandre Lavoie, Denis Kindl, and William Carrier. Philippe Trudeau allowed six goals on 29 shots in relief.

FIRST PERIOD

Cape Breton headed to the power play at 1:59. At the three-minute mark, they would open the scoring as William Carrier cut in front and deposited the puck past Mathieu Corbeil.

The Sea Dogs were dreadful in the opening half of the period, allowing the Eagles to get an unlimited amount of scoring chances. At 9:48, a Nathan Beaulieu turnover at the blue line gave the Eagles a two-on-one. Denis Kindl would beat Corbeil to make it a 2-0 game. Yikes.

Saint John would finally get a shot on goal near the halfway mark of the period but could not beat Philippe Trudreau who was scrambling a bit in the crease.

After the Saint John chance, the Eagles continued to turn it on. The puck went to the Sea Dogs goal line but somehow stayed out. Then Carrier had a breakaway but was denied. Dany Potvin let a long shot go later on that forced Corbeil to make a fine pad save.

At 14:31, things started to turn around. Jonathan Huberdeau fed Danick Gauthier who snapped the puck past Trudreau, making it a 2-1 game and tying the team record for goals in a season.

Saint John would tie it at 16:46. The puck came to Dylan McGuigan in front who connected for his first QMJHL goal to make it a 2-2 affair.

Gauthier had a great chance late in the period but was denied by the Cape Breton ‘tender.

Shots in the first were 12-8 in favour of the home side.

SECOND PERIOD

Early in the second period, Huberdeau made some big time move to create a scoring chance but the Dogs couldn’t get it to go.

Saint John headed to the power play 59 seconds in. At 1:29, Charlie Coyle came flying down the wing and then passed to Stanislav Galiev in front who went upstairs on Trudeau to give Saint John a 3-2 lead.

Grant West had a good chance a few moments after Galiev’s goal but couldn’t jam it past Trudeau.

The Dogs headed back to the man advantage at 6:49. On the ensuing power play, Huberdeau setup Gauthier to break the team goal scoring record and give Saint John a two-goal advantage.

The Dogs would have another power play opportunity at 7:39. Coyle had a decent chance but that was about it. Just after the power play expired, Kyle Farrell tipped the puck just wide in front of Corbeil.

Cape Breton had a man advantage at 11:15 but could only generate a couple of chances.

At the 14-minute mark, some uneventful four-on-four play took place with Kindl and Beaulieu in the box. After that expired, Potvin had a solid chance at the side of the goal but sent it wide.

Saint John went to yet another power play at 18:10. At 18:59, Coyle spun around and made a great feed to Ryan Tesink who batted it out of the air and past Trudeau to give the Dogs a 5-2 advantage.

Just 10 seconds later, Stephen MacAulay wired the puck past Trudeau from the dot to give the visitors a 6-2 lead after two.

Shots were 14-4 Saint John in the middle frame.

THIRD PERIOD

During some four-on-four play at 3:10, Farrell went in and around Corbeil to make it a 6-3 game. That would be the end of Corbeil’s night as Sebastien Auger took over in goal.

Cape Breton went to the power play at 4:24 but did nothing.

At 9:55, the Dogs headed back to the power play. Carrier had a good shorthanded chance but was stopped. Saint John couldn’t get much going on the man advantage.

The Eagles cut Saint John’s lead to two at 14:05 as Kindl setup Alexandre Lavoie. Saint John was snoozing a bit in the third period.

Cape Breton pulled their goaltender for the final few minutes but Aidan Kelly iced the game at 18:45 with an empty-netter to give Saint John a 7-4 win.

Shots in the third were 12-8 Cape Breton.

Saint John went 3-for-5 on the power play while Cape Breton went 1-for-3.

NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow on SN.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs battle the Eagles in Game One of the first round next Friday at 8pm at Harbour Station.