RECAP: Sea Dogs Win 5-1

FINAL: Saint John 5, Moncton 1

BOUCTOUCHE, NB – A four goal second period for the Saint John Sea Dogs proved to be the difference maker as they defeated the Moncton Wildcats 5-1 on Friday night in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Pre-Season play.

Playing in front of a sold-out JK Irving Centre in Bouctouche, Oliver Cooper and Noah Zilbert each had a pair of goals for the Sea Dogs while Stephen Anderson added a solo marker. Sebastien Auger and Antoine Landry both provided great goaltending performances, combining to allow just one goal on 31 shots.

Moncton’s lone goal came from Cameron Yarwood late in the third period when the game was out of reach. Graham Hunt looked a bit shaky at times in the ‘Cats net and allowed four goals on 14 shots. Alex Dubeau took over halfway through the game and allowed just one goal on 15 shots.

The Sea Dogs improved to 3-2 in the pre-season while the Wildcats fell to 5-2. The two teams wrap up their exhibition schedule against each other on Sunday afternoon at Harbour Station.

Despite being outshot 10-4 in the opening frame, the Sea Dogs headed into intermission with a 1-0 lead thanks to a Cooper backhand goal at 16:31. Also in the first, Lukas Walter, the 20-year old forward currently on a tryout with the Sea Dogs, tried to fight Kyle Haas but it didn’t last long as both tumbled to the ice rather quickly. Walter was given an instigator for the fight.

Cooper scored his second of the game at 8:58 of the second period on a power play, giving the Dogs a 2-0 advantage. Less than a minute later at 9:44, Zilbert ripped a shot that blasted the water bottle sitting on the top of the net. That made it 3-0 Saint John.

Then at 10:12, Anderson kept the Sea Dogs goals coming as he beat Hunt top corner to make it 4-0 Sea Dogs. Zilbert rounded out the second period scoring with a shorthanded marker 13:52.

Shots were 11 apiece in the second period.

Walter and Haas tried to have another fight at 2:49 of the third. Only a couple punches were thrown in the short tilt. The officials then came in and broke things up. This time, Haas was given the instigator. We’ll see what happens on Sunday between these two.

Spencer Smallman had a penalty shot awarded to him at 5:22 but fired wide of the net.

The Sea Dogs hit a few posts in the period but it would be Moncton scoring the only goal in the frame. Yarwood scored some goal at 18:24 to end Saint John’s shutout bid.

Shots in the third were 14-10 in favour of the Dogs and 31-29 overall in favour of the ‘Cats.

Saint John went 1-for-7 on the power play while Moncton went 0-for-9.

NOTES: Unreal arena in Bouctouche. Very similar to the qplex but with a centre ice clock and better sound… Wildcats brought their inflatable cat thing and everything to this game... this was Saint John’s first road win of the pre-season… Sebastien Auger has now allowed just one goal on 60 shots in the pre-season… chuck-a-ball was played during intermission. It’s just like chuck-a-puck but bouncier… Lukas Walter played as advertised. He had two hits and 12 penalty minutes in the game. He also got some special teams time… Michael Abbott had two assists… Noah Zilbert had six shots… Jeremy Doucet also had a fight in this game, taking on Lucas Batt… less than a week until the regular season begins boys and girls.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs and Wildcats wrap up pre-season play on Sunday afternoon at 3pm at Harbour Station.