RECAP: Sea Dogs Lose 4-2

FINAL: Moncton 4, Saint John 2

By Kevin Chambers | SN Staff

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs renewed their rivalry with the Moncton Wildcats in the first of back-to-back affairs at Harbour Station on Saturday night, falling 4-2.

The Wildcats got off to a quick start scoring just 1:22 into the opening period on a goal by Stephen Johnson that beat Marc-Antoine Turcotte through the wickets. Adam Marsh had a great chance on a breakaway but was turned aside by Zach Fortin moments later. Despite some back and forth action from both sides the first period would end 1-0 in favour of the Wildcats.

The Sea Dogs started the second period by successfully killing the remainder of a long four-minute double minor to Thomas Chabot that carried over from the end of the first period. Shortly after the penalty kill, Mathieu Joseph capitalized on a Wildcats turnover in their own zone to even the score at 1-1. Moncton would regain the lead with 6:06 left in the middle frame. After the Sea Dogs were unable to clear the zone, Zach McEwen would tip one past Turcotte to make it 2-1 ‘Cats. The Wildcats would extend their lead to 3-1 with just 57 seconds left in the second on a goal by Will Smith that came just before Turcotte was bowled over.

Matthew Highmore would get the Sea Dogs back within one at the 11:58 mark in the final stanza by slamming a puck past Fortin. That would be as close as the Sea Dogs would come though after an empty net goal by Conor Garland sealed the deal for the Wildcats. The Sea Dogs’ power play continued to struggle and went 0/6 in this contest.  

STATS

NOTES

• Tonight’s contest is the first of back-to-back games for the Sea Dogs & Wildcats. The series is part of the QMJHL’s Rivalry Week.
• Dawson Theede was back in the lineup and took the spot of Kyle Ward.
• Marc-Antoine Turcotte was back between the pipes after giving way to Alex Bishop for the last two starts.
• Several scouts were in attendance, including representatives from Dallas, Columbus, and Tampa Bay.
• Samuel Dove-McFalls had surgery this past week on his knee and is expected to miss 10-12 weeks.
• Two other Sea Dogs missed this game with injuries: defensemen Bailey Webster and Oliver Felixson were both out with upper body ailments. Ward was a healthy scratch.
• The Sea Dogs’ power play is a power outage right now at a league worst 10% efficiency.
• Matthew Highmore is closing in on the 100th point of his junior career. He currently sits at 97 points. He also moved into the team scoring lead with five goals and nine assists for 14 points.
• Attendance for this game: 3,966.

TURNING POINT

In a close contest, Will Smith scoring with just under a minute remaining in the second period put the Sea Dogs down by two goals.

SN THREE STARS

Will Smith

Matthew Highmore

Stephen Johnson

TWEET OF THE GAME

For going to the game “with da wife” we salute you sir!

Sea Dogs game with da wife @brittany_tabor4 #GoDogsGo #hungrysdogs pic.twitter.com/S1xHzDoH4m

— Michael Tabor (@tabor_michael) October 24, 2015

NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs and Wildcats are right back at it tomorrow in Moncton with a 3 p.m. start time. Saint John currently sits three points behind first place Moncton.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation