RECAP: No Headline. Dogs Lose 5-3.

FINAL: Val-d’Or 5, Saint John 3

SAINT JOHN – The third period was not kind to the Saint John Sea Dogs on Friday night.

The Sea Dogs allowed three goals in the third in a 5-3 loss to the Val-d’Or Foreurs in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action at Harbour Station.

Saint John entered the third up 3-2 but could not contain the Val-d’Or offense. Third period scoring was kicked off by the league’s leading scoring, Anthony Mantha, and the Foreurs were able to gain momentum from there.

Mantha, Anthony Beauregard, Phil Pietroniro, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Guillaume Gelinas scored for Val-d’Or. Keven Bouchard made 18 saves in the win.

Meanwhile, Kelly Bent, Mackenzie Brown, and Matthew Highmore scored for Saint John. Backup Antoine Landry had a busy night, making 42 saves in the loss.

FIRST PERIOD

The first five minutes or so were back-and-forth with both teams getting some okay chances. Julien Gauthier had an above average scoring opportunity about six minutes in as he accepted the puck near the blue line and skated in down the wing, shooting the puck directly into the chest of Antoine Landry.

A few moments later, Spencer Smallman was in front but was stopped by Keven Bouchard.

Saint John went to the power play at 10:18 as Anthony Beauregard was called for high sticking. The Sea Dogs made plenty of passes but hardly any shots on goal.

Shortly after the penalty expired, Olivier Galipeau blocked a shot with his face/head. He skated to the bench and went to the dressing room.

The Dogs went back to the man advantage at 14:16 as Anthony Mantha was called for high sticking. The Foreurs produced a solid kill and even created a couple good scoring chances.

Late in the period, Oliver Cooper was left alone in front but sent the puck just wide.

Shots in the first were 15-2 in favour of the Foreurs. Yeah. Val-d'Or was the better team but not quite as dominant as the shots may indicate. 

SECOND PERIOD

Saint John went to another power play at 2:01 but nothing happened again.

Val-d’Or went to their first power play of the night at 6:34 as Matthew Highmore headed to the box. Mantha blew his stick up during the man advantage with part of it hitting the netting above the back glass. At 7:59, Maxime Gravel fired a point shot that bounced off the boards and back in front. Beauregard had an open net to make it 1-0 Foreurs.

The Sea Dogs tied it up at 8:53. Kelly Bent managed to get a backhand shot though Bouchard to make it a 1-1 match.

Then at 10:07, Saint John jumped in front 2-1 thanks to Mackenzie Brown. Oliver Cooper had the original shot and Brown connected on the rebound.

The Foreurs went to another man advantage at 12:17 but, despite some solid pressure applied in the offensive zone and having a few good scoring chances, they could not beat Landry to tie things up.

Saint John would then head back to the power play at 14:31. At 14:43, Matthew Highmore scored to give the Dogs a 3-1 advantage.

The Foreurs went to yet another power play at 15:00 and scored yet another power play goal at 16:02. Phil Pietroniro fired a low shot from the faceoff dot that beat Landry to make it a 3-2 game.

Beauregard took a slashing penalty at 18:40 and that was followed by a Dove-McFalls holding infraction 18 seconds later to create some four-on-four action.

Shots were 13-8 in favour of the Foreurs in the second.

THIRD PERIOD

Mantha tied the game at 4:45 of the third, scoring some goal to give him 26 goals in 26 games. Insane.

Val-d’Or then took the lead at 7:21 as Aube-Kubel outmuscled Thomas Chabot on a wraparound attempt and slid the puck past Landry to make it 4-3 Foreurs.

Aube-Kubel was called for roughing at 10:26 and then Oliver LeBlanc went to the box for roughing as well at 10:50. During the four-on-four, the Foreurs got the puck near the goal line but it stayed out. Then, Beauregard was denied by Landry’s pad before stopping Mantha on a break.

The Foreurs scored an insurance marker at 15:20 thanks to Guillaume Gelinas connecting from the slot to make it 5-3.

Shots in the third were 19-11 Val-d’Or.

Saint John went 1-for-7 on the power play while Val-d’Or went 2-for-5.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies tomorrow night at 7pm.