RECAP: Ugh. Dogs Lose 3-1.

FINAL: Moncton 3, Saint John 1

SAINT JOHN – The goal scoring woes continued for the Saint John Sea Dogs on Wednesday night.

Despite firing 39 shots on net, the Sea Dogs could only beat Alex Dubeau once in a 3-1 loss to the Moncton Wildcats in front of yet another small crowd at Harbour Station.

The Sea Dogs have now lost three straight games and have scored a total of two goals. But, on the bright side, it’s not like they are not getting chances. Tonight’s game is a good example. Saint John had 39 shots with 24 of those being listed as “dangerous shots” by the league. But the Dogs are just a little bit off on offense right now – and have also run unto some solid goaltending the past two games.

Penalties were a big problem in this one as they gave Moncton eight power play opportunities. The Wildcats only scored once on the power play but, y’know, being shorthanded so much ain’t going to help that struggling offense.

Matthew Highmore scored Saint John’s only goal. The goal came in an 18 shot third period that Saint John entered down 3-0. Sebastien Auger made 21 saves in the loss.

Moncton goals came from JC Campagna, Mark Simpson, and Stephen Johnson. Dubeau made 38 saves in the win.

The loss dropped Saint John to 5-6-0-1 while Moncton improved to 6-8-0-0.

FIRST PERIOD

Lukas Walter and Kyle Haas dropped the gloves just 2:12 into the game. The two had a decent fight with both landing some punches but both also missing contact quite a few times. Haas picked up an instigator on the play but Saint John could not score on the power play.

Jason Cameron took a cross checking penalty at 7:55 and then Mackenzie Brown took a high sticking penalty at 9:09 to send Moncton to a five-on-three advantage. JC Campagna opened the scoring at 9:31 as he roofed the puck over a down Sebastien Auger to make it 1-0 Wildcats.

A few minutes later the Sea Dogs pushed the puck past ‘Cats goaltender Alex Dubeau but also pushed Dubeau into the net. You can’t do that so the score remained 1-0 Moncton.

Stephen Anderson had a decent chance shortly after as he fought off a Moncton defender to get a good backhand shot on net but was stopped.

Not a whole lot of great scoring chances in the first. Shots were 11-6 Sea Dogs.

SECOND PERIOD

53 seconds into the second, Anderson took a tripping penalty to send Moncton to the power play. But the ‘Cats would do nothing on the man advantage.

Mark Simpson made it 2-0 Wildcats at 6:37 as he beat Auger high glove side.

Not long after Moncton’s second goal, a Moncton shot went off Auger’s glove and in but, luckily for Saint John, the whistle went and the goal did not count.

Moncton headed to another power play at 8:24 but it would be Saint John getting the better chances. Jason Cameron had a breakaway but was stopped and then Brown had his stick lifted just before he could get to the rebound. Then Oliver Cooper fed Anderson on a two-on-one but Dubeau made a big time pad save.

The ‘Cats headed to a five-on-three power play 9:54 but once again did not generate a whole lot of quality chances.

Anderson took his third penalty of the game at 12:23, this one for slashing. When he was out of the box, he was sprung on a break but robbed by the glove of Dubeau.

Stephen Johnson made it 3-0 Moncton at 14:46 thanks to a quality pass from Simpson.

Moncton headed to yet another power play 14:55 as Samuel Dove-McFalls took a high sticking penalty. Nothing happened.

Shots were 14-10 Wildcats in the second.

THIRD PERIOD

The Sea Dogs finally got on the board at 6:28 of the third as Highmore beat Dubeau in close to make it a 3-1 game.

Nathan Noel made a great move to get around a Moncton defenseman a few minutes later. He created some space for himself in front but shot the puck wide.

The Wildcats went to yet another power play at 10:00 but, once again, not a whole lot happened.

The Sea Dogs finally got another power play at 13:59. Then at 15:35, Christophe Lalonde was called for hooking to send Saint John to a five-on-three. Despite some decent pressure and shots the Sea Dogs could not score.

Saint John pulled Auger with over two minutes remaining in the game. Despite getting lots of shots on net they could not get back into this game.

Shots were 18-4 Saint John in the third period and 39-24 overall.

The Sea Dogs went 0-for-3 on the power play while the Wildcats went 1-for-8.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Quebec Remparts for ‘Pink in the Rink Night’ on Saturday at 7pm at Harbour Station.