RECAP: Fightin' Hard. Dogs Lose 5-2.

FINAL: Saint John 2, Quebec 5

QUEBEC CITY – The final score may not show it, but the Saint John Sea Dogs put up a great performance against the No. 2 ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League on Wednesday night.

The Sea Dogs fell 5-2 to the high powered Quebec Remparts in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at the Colisee Pepsi. The match kicked off a three-game road trip for Saint John.

Quebec won the game by three but the final two goals were of the empty net variety. The Remparts led 3-1 after one and 3-2 after two. The home team outshot Saint John 31-26 overall.

It was a pretty solid performance by the Dogs who have struggled over the past few games. Hopefully the team puts up similar efforts in Chicoutimi and Baie-Comeau.

The Dogs had goals from Olivier Leblanc and Jonathan Huberdeau. Sebastien Auger made 26 saves in net.

The Remparts had a pair of goals from Adam Erne and singles from Mikhail Grigorenko, Samuel Gauthier, and Pierre-Maxime Poudrier. Francois Brassard made 24 saves in the win.

Here's a recap of the game...

PRE-GAME

In an interview with News 88.9, Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Mike Kelly says the team needs to bring some swagger to the Colisee.

Sebastien Auger is in net for Saint John. Francois Brassard for Quebec.

FIRST PERIOD

0:00 – We have puck drop. 8:02pm Atlantic time.

4:06 – Both teams had some chances in the early minutes. No dice.

6:53 – Saint John tries to jam the puck past Brassard in close. The Remparts goaltender smothers the puck for a whistle, meaning a media time out.

9:44 - The puck comes off the glass and bounces to Adam Erne at the side of the net. He slips the puck past Auger. 1-0 Quebec.

13:07 - Scramble in front. Samuel Gauthier puts it in. The goal was quickly reviewed and was deemed legit. 2-0 Quebec.

14:47 – Media timeout. Whoever is running the camera on Telus is doing a very solid job.

16:38 - Olivier Leblanc, with his family in attendance, fires a shot from the point that beats Brassard. 2-1 game.

18:32 - Mikhail Grigorenko comes down the wing and then sends the puck through the paint to Erne who nets his second of the game. 3-1 Remparts.

20:00 – Period ends. It’s 3-1 Remparts. Shots were 14-7 in favour of the home side. There were no penalties in the first, which was shocking because this is the QMJHL.

SECOND PERIOD

0:00 – The second period begins.

8:44 – The game has gotten a bit dry – but then things pick up. Quebec is finally putting some pressure back on. Stephen Anderson then has a great chance at the other end but Brassard stops it.

10:07 – Olivier Leblanc takes a high sticking penalty. It’s the first penalty of the game. Quebec had some good pressure on but couldn’t not break through Auger and some good defensive plays by the Dogs.

14:03 – Another exciting media time out.

14:39 - Logan Shaw heads to the box for tripping. The Sea Dogs get their first power play of the night.

16:20 - Jonathan Huberdeau scores on the power play, batting in a rebound. It’s a 3-2 contest.

19:32 - Quebec goes back on the power play as Stephen MacAulay heads off for high sticking.

20:00 – A solid period for the Sea Dogs comes to end with the visitors trailing 3-2. Shots were 10-7 in favour of the Sea Dogs.

THIRD PERIOD

0:00 – Play is underway in the third.

0:34 - A questionable delay of game penalty goes to Jason Seed, giving Quebec a five-on-three power play. The Remparts had a few god chances during the man advantage but could not extend their lead.

3:04 - The attendance is 9,430. Big stuff.

6:50 – Media time out. Still 3-2. Giddy up.

7:28 – The Remparts take a time out for whatever reason.

11:53 – Brassard makes a nice glove save on Ryan Tesink.

15:31 – Both teams exchange some chances. Couldn’t connect. Brassard with a solid performance in net.

1:00 – Sebastien Auger heads to the Saint John bench in favour of the extra attacker.

19:08 - Grigorenko ices the game with an empty net goal. 4-2.

19:20 - The Sea Dogs get a late power play opportunity. They take a time out and put Auger back on the bench.

19:53 – Pierre-Maxime Poudrier scores another empty netter, making it 5-2.

20:00 – Game. Remparts win 5-2. Shots were 10-9 Quebec in the third and 31-26 overall. Saint John went 1-for-2 on the power play while Quebec went 0-for-3.

POST-GAME

NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow on SN.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Digs visit Chicoutimi on Friday.

Photo: Remparts Twitter