RECAP: Another Streak Bites The Dust. Dogs Win 3-2.

FINAL: Saint John 3, Cape Breton 2

SYDNEY, NS – It’s obvious that the Saint John Sea Dogs aren’t going to be mailing in what is left of the first half.

The Saint John Sea Dogs produced a solid road performance and were rewarded for it on Friday night at Centre 200, defeating the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 3-2 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. The win ended Saint John’s five-game losing streak and 11-game road losing skid.

Samuel Dove-McFalls’ first career QMJHL goal, which came in the third period, ended up being the game winner. Jurj Repe, who was named the game’s first star, had a goal and an assist while Oliver Cooper scored his team leading 12^th of the year. Sebastien Auger was solid as usual and made 29 stops in the win.

William Carrier and Kyle Farrell had Cape Breton’s goals. Chase Marchand made 20 saves in the loss.

It certainly wasn’t a dominating performance by the Dogs but it got the job done. The Sea Dogs led 2-0 heading into the third and it was good to see them hang on and get rewarded for their efforts after a tough loss in Charlottetown last Friday.

The two teams meet again tomorrow night at Centre 200. It will be the final game before the Christmas break for both teams.

FIRST PERIOD

David Weckworth had a decent chance early on but was stopped by Chase Marchand. Following the scoring chance at 3:29, Kelly Bent was called for goaltender interference. The Eagles couldn’t get much going on the power play.

Cape Breton went back to the man advantage at 5:42 as Oliver Cooper headed off for hooking. Once again, the Eagles didn’t do a whole lot on the power play.

Later on, Clark Bishop fed Julien Pelletier but he was unable to get a shot off.

At 18:49, some rough stuff involving Thomas Chabot and Charles-Eric Legare resulted in some four-on-four action. In the final minute, Maxim Lazarev made a nice move to get around a Saint John defenseman but his shot was stopped by Sea Dogs goaltender Sebastien Auger with the glove.

Uneventful period of hockey. Shots were 14-6 in favour of the Eagles.

SECOND PERIOD

After not giving Saint John any power plays in the first, Cape Breton got into penalty trouble in the second period. Carrier went off 35 seconds into the period and then Pelletier joined him in the box at 1:44. At 2:28 during the five-on-three advantage, Jurij Repe scored his third of the season to give Saint John a 1-0 lead.

Cape Breton had some pressure on in the Sea Dogs zone following the goal but could not net an equalizer.

The Dogs went back to the power play at 7:02. They had a couple of good scoring chances but nothing spectacular. Soon after the penalty ended, Raphael Corriveau fired a shot that got through Auger but did not go into the net.

Saint John went to yet another power play at 9:20. Marcus Cuomo had a great chance at the side of the Eagles net but it appeared Marchand got a piece of it. Then, the Cape Breton goaltender made a glove save off a Stephen Anderson shot.

The Dogs were unable to score on their previous couple power plays but were given another at 13:24. This time they would score as Oliver Cooper, providing a screen, tipped an Olivier LeBlanc wrist shot to give Saint John a 2-0 lead.

The Eagles had a bit of pressure on in the final minute but they could not get on the board.

Thanks to all the power plays, Saint John out shot Cape Breton 11-4 in the second stanza.

THIRD PERIOD

The Screaming Eagles went to the power play at 4:26 after Alexander McQuaid flipped the puck out of play. Cape Breton had some solid pressure applied but they could not score. Cuomo also had a good shorthanded opportunity.

The Eagles finally got on the board at 9:24. Carrier intercepted a pass and then went to work. He danced his way around the Saint John defense and then fooled Auger with a deke. Carrier slid the puck in while diving to complete the beautiful goal. That made it a 2-1 game.

Carrier had a great chance just moments later as he snuck past a Saint John defender but could not beat Auger this time around.

The Sea Dogs got a huge goal from Samuel Dove-McFalls at 12:41. The rookie took a pass from Spencer Smallman and then fired a rocket past Marchand for his first career QMJHL marker. That restored Saint John’s two-goal lead.

But at 16:45, Dove-McFalls was called for tripping to give the Eagles a late power play opportunity. Cape Breton would cash in as the puck banked off the back boards and right to Kyle Farrell who was parked at the side of the net. He put the puck over Auger to make it a 3-2 game at 17:15.

Despite some pressure applied by the Eagles in the final minute, Saint John would hang on to win this one.

Shots in the third were 13-6 in favour of the Eagles and 31-23 overall.

Saint John went 2-for-5 on the power play while Cape Breton went 1-for-4.

NEXT GAME: Saint John and Cape Breton meet again tomorrow night at 7pm at Centre 200.