RECAP: Back In 16th. Dogs Win 2-1.

FINAL: Saint John 2, Charlottetown 1

CHARLOTTETOWN – The Saint John Sea Dogs are back in 16^th.

The Sea Dogs took back the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s final playoff spot – for the time being, anyway – following a 2-1 win over the Charlottetown Islanders on Sunday afternoon at Eastlink Centre. It was some redemption for the Sea Dogs who surrendered the 16^th overall position on Thursday with a 3-1 loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes. The victory also ended a five-game losing streak.

Saint John grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period and would hang on for a 2-1 win. The Islanders outshot the Sea Dogs 38-17 in the game and 20-2 in the third period but they survived.

Nathan Noel had both Saint John goals while Antoine Landry made 37 saves – 19 of them coming in the third period – for the win.

Daniel Sprong scored Charlottetown’s only goal. Eric Brassard made 15 saves in the loss.

Alexander McQuaid and Bradley Kennedy kicked things off with a fight at 3:43.

The Sea Dogs made it 1-0 at 4:37. Brassard stopped Spencer Smallman’s first shot but Noel put in the rebound to give Saint John an early advantage.

Then on a power play at 12:19, Noel fired a hard wrist shot from just inside the circle that beat Brassard to make it 2-0 Dogs.

Spenser Cobbold had a chance late in the period to get the Isles back in it but hit the post. Shots were 9-8 Saint John in the first.

In the second, Landry made a nice stop off of a Robert Pelletier shorthanded opportunity.

During some four-on-four play later on, Smallman broke away from the Charlottetown defense but could not put the puck into the net.

Shots were 10-6 Islanders in the middle frame.

Sprong gave the Islanders some life early in the third. Alexandre Goulet passed the puck to Sprong in the slot who beat Landry top corner just 55 seconds in to make it a 2-1 game.

Soon after the goal, Jason Cameron beat Brassard but not the post. Then, Sprong had a breakaway but Landry made a great pad save.

At 9:08, Smallman went to the box for four minutes following a high stick. But Saint John produced a solid penalty kill and maintained their lead.

The Islanders pulled Brassard and put out an extra attacker in the final minute but could not tie things up, making it a 2-1 final.

Saint John went 1-for-3 on the power play while Charlottetown went 0-for-4.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs host the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Friday night at Harbour Station.