RECAP: So Close. Dogs Lose 2-1.

FINAL: Saint John 1, Halifax 2

HALIFAX – The Saint John Sea Dogs came oh so close to pulling off a massive upset on Saturday night at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Matthew Boudreau scored at 12:42 on a power play in the third period, a goal that would prove to be the game-winner in a 2-1 Halifax Mooseheads win over the Sea Dogs. The victory gives the Moose, the No. 1 team in the the QMJHL, a 2-0 lead in their first round, best-of-seven playoff series against the 16th-seeded Dogs.

It was a heartbreaking loss for Saint John but also a colossal turnaround. The Sea Dogs lost 11-1 to the Mooseheads last night, so this was obviously a much, much better performance by the underdogs.

Yes, the Sea Dogs still lost – but there are positives to take from this game. Sebastien Auger was Sebastien Auger, making 43 saves in a first star performance. Even though the game-winner was scored on the power play, Saint John didn’t get into the same kind of penalty trouble as they did on Friday. The Dogs were also able to keep Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, and Martin Frk off the scoresheet. Despite being outshot 45-15, the Dogs did not give up the kind of quality scoring chances that they did on Friday.

Maxime Villemaire scored Saint John’s only goal on Saturday, a goal that gave the Sea Dogs a 1-0 lead in the first. It was their first lead of the series.

Brent Andrews had the other Halifax goal. Zach Fucale made 14 saves in net for the win.

The series now shifts to Saint John for Games 3 and 4. After tonight’s game, the series has certainly got a bit more interesting.

FIRST PERIOD

Sebastien Auger was Sebastien Auger early in this one. He was all business.

A little later on in the period, Nathan MacKinnon put a big open ice hit on Jakub Izacky as he crossed the red line with the puck.

The first half of the period was really uneventful.

Saint John went to the power play at 10:58 after Domenic Beauchemin put a big hit on Mackenzie Brown in front of the Sea Dogs bench. The Dogs were doing a good job with puck possession but then Halifax got an odd man rush going the other way. It looked like the Moose had scored a shorthanded marker but, after a lengthy review, it was ruled no goal.

Soon after a big Marcus Cuomo hit, the Dogs went back to the power play at 13:23. Maxime Villemaire got Saint John on the board at 14:01 as he scored on a scramble, giving the Dogs their first lead of the playoffs. The goal also went under review but was ruled a good goal.

Saint John got another power play at 17:00 as Halifax had too many men on the ice. You can’t do that. Unfortunately for the Sea Dogs, the Mooseheads produced a good penalty kill.

But at 19:12, Nathan MacKinnon headed to the sin bin and the Sea Dogs went straight back to the man advantage. The Dogs couldn’t get much going before the period ended.

Shots were 10-7 in favour of Halifax in the first.

SECOND PERIOD

While shorthanded, Stefan Fournier fed Brent Andrews who beat Auger to get the Moose on the board and tie things up at 1-1. The goal came just 25 second into the period.

Jason Cameron headed to the box at 1:47, sending Halifax to their first power play of the game. On the Mooseheads man advantage, Auger stood his ground and made some saves during a Halifax scramble. Despite some good pressure, the Moose could not score.

Andreas Tsogkas had a good scoring chance at 4:49 but was hooked up by Trey Lewis. So the Dogs headed to the power play once again. Saint John had some pressure on here and there but couldn’t get on the board.

The Dogs had yet another power play at 11:31. Andrews nearly had a shorthanded break but Pierre Durepos made a great play to sweep the puck off his stick. The power play ended at as Cameron took his second penalty of the game at 13:25. The Dogs produced a solid penalty kill to keep it tied.

Some rough stuff in the crease created some four-on-four play at 18:05. The Moose had some pressure on late in the frame but Auger was shutting the door.

Shots were 19-4 in favour of Halifax in the second.

THIRD PERIOD

MacKinnon had the first good chance of the period, turning on the jets and going through Saint John’s defense. Auger made the save.

Auger was being Auger early in the third, making unlimited saves and covering the puck when he could to slow the pace down.

Michael Abbott headed to the box at 10:11, sending Halifax to a huge power play. The Moose came close as the puck got behind Auger but it was cleared away by Jurij Repe.

Halifax went straight back to the power play at 12:24 – and this time they would connect. At 12:42, Matthew Boudreau beat Auger upstairs to give the No. 1 team in the CHL a 2-1 lead.

Luca Ciampini took a tripping penalty at 13:40, giving Saint John a huge power play opportunity. Unfortunately, the Dogs couldn’t get much going.

Back at even strength, Martin Frk had an unreal chance but couldn’t get it to go.

With Auger on the bench in the final minute, Saint John was pressing hard to tie the game. They had possession in the Halifax zone for much of the final minute but, for whatever reason, the Dogs just wouldn’t shoot the puck. It was eventually stolen away by the Moose and cleared, ending the game.

Shots in the final frame were 16-4 in favour of Halifax.

The Mooseheads went 1-for-4 on the power play while Saint John went 1-for-7.

NOTES: See Sea Dogs Postscript tomorrow on SN.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs and Mooseheads meet for Game 3 on Tuesday night at Harbour Station.