RECAP: This Game Happened. Dogs Lose 4-2.

FINAL: Rimouski 4, Saint John 2

SAINT JOHN – For the second straight game, the Saint John Sea Dogs could only get 16 shots on net.

Just like on Saturday in Rouyn-Noranda, the Sea Dogs’ offense struggled to get much of anything going in a 4-2 loss to the Rimouski Oceanic on Friday night at Harbour Station.

The Sea Dogs were able to keep the game close despite getting just 16 shots on goal – and only eight of those were considered dangerous. Olivier LeBlanc and Jason Cameron scored for the Dogs while Sebastien Auger made 28 saves in the loss.

Michael Joly had two goals for Rimouski while singles came from Ryan MacKinnon and William Couture. Alexis Loiseau had three assists. Philippe Desrosiers made 14 saves in the win.

Dull game. Not sure what else to say about it.

FIRST PERIOD

Just 1:15 in, Michael Joly made it 1-0 Oceanic. His original shot snuck past Sebastien Auger who was located above the crease. Joly then poked the puck the rest of the way in to open the scoring.

Saint John had a good chance a few moments later as Philippe Desrosiers allowed a little rebound. Mathieu Joseph tried to jam it in but couldn’t.

The Sea Dogs went to the power play at 6:16. At 6:40, an Olivier LeBlanc wrist shot from the point went through some traffic and past Desrosiers to make it 1-1.

Rimouski then had a power play at 7:24 as Kelly Bent went off for interference. The Oceanic had some solid pressure and a few shots but couldn’t beat Auger. Soon after the power play expired at 8:35, a cross crease pass found Joly who scored his second to give the Oceanic a 2-1 advantage.

A few minutes later, Spencer Smallman and Marcus Cuomo had a two-on-one. Smallman kept the puck but fired wide of the net.

Matthew Highmore went off for hooking at 17:45 to send the Oceanic to the man advantage. Rimouski had some pressure on again but could not score.

Shots in the opening frame were 13-7 in favour of the Oceanic.

SECOND PERIOD

Early in the period, Rimouski sent the puck under Auger and through the crease but Brent Turnbull was unable to get a stick on it.

Rimouski went back to the power play at 4:22 but the Dogs produced a decent kill and didn’t give the Oceanic too many chances.

Later on, Alexis Loiseau chipped the puck just high of the net with Auger down.

The Oceanic made it 3-1 at 6:44. Ryan MacKinnon slapped the puck from the top of the circle and beat Auger top corner.

Saint John went to the man advantage at 10:16 but couldn’t create many chances. The Dogs were then handed a four-minute power play at 12:52 as Anthony DeLuca was called for high sticking. But Saint John could not get anything going during the extended time frame.

Back at even strength, William Couture let a shot go from inside the circle that forced Auger to make a nice pad stop.

The Sea Dogs had another power play awarded to them at 18:51. Oliver Cooper had a good chance as he fired a rebound that Desrosiers denied.

Shots were 8-5 Oceanic in the middle frame. Thrilling stuff.

THIRD PERIOD

The Sea Dogs couldn’t get anything going on the power play that carried over into the third.

Rimouski went to the power play at 2:54. They had some pressure applied but no good chances.

At 5:27, the Dogs went back to the man advantage but that ended at 6:54 when Auger was called for tripping.

Jason Cameron finally gave the Sea Dogs some life in the third when he scored his third of the season at 17:32. That made it 3-2.

The Dogs pulled Auger in the final minute but could not score the equalizer. Rimouski made it a 4-2 final with a Couture empty netter.

Shots in the third were 11-4 Oceanic and 32-16 Rimouski overall.

Saint John went 1-for-6 on the power play while Rimouski went 0-for-5.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs travel to Bathurst to play the Titan Saturday night.