RECAP: Sea Dogs Win 4-3

FINAL: Charlottetown 3, Saint John 4

By Kevin Chambers | SN Staff

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs welcomed the Charlottetown Islanders to Harbour Station on Saturday as they looked to bounce back from a tough 4-3 loss to Moncton Wildcats the night before. And bounce back they did, posting a 4-3 victory over the Isles.

The Sea Dogs would open the scoring with a power play goal off the stick of Matthew Highmore. The team’s leading scorer let a wrist shot go from the point that got past Islanders goaltender Mason McDonald at 10:05. A low scoring first period with no shortage of action between the two clubs ended with the Sea Dogs out in front 1-0.

Saint John got off to a great start in the middle frame and Dawson Theede was rewarded with his first career QMJHL goal, ripping a wrist shot past McDonald at 4:32. Filip Rydstrom would get the Islanders back to within a goal when he tapped home a juicy rebound past Alex Bishop a little over five minutes later. 

The Sea Dogs would restore their two-goal cushion when Sam Povorozniouk slid a shot past McDonald at 13:07, making it 3-1 in favour of the home side. Rydstrom would pull the Islanders back to within a goal by picking up a power play marker at 17:42. Saint John wasn’t finished though and picked up their third power play marker of the game when the captain Spencer Smallman hammered the puck past McDonald with just 23.4 seconds left in the second, making it 4-2.

The Islanders came out flying in the third period, forcing the Sea Dogs to burn a timeout. Charlottetown would be the team to capitalize after the timeout when Austin Clapham’s pass up the middle was picked off and promptly deposited into the back of the net by Quinn O’Brien, pulling the Islanders back to within a goal again. Despite pulling their goaltender late in the game, that would be as close as the Islanders would get as the Sea Dogs hung on for a big 4-3 victory.

NOTES

• Thomas Chabot missed his second straight game and was joined by Jakub Zboril on the sidelines. Both players are injured. 
• Other scratches for Saint John were forwards Samuel Dove-McFalls, Matt Green and Julien Tessier – all of whom are injured.
• It was a special night for two brothers as Mathieu Joseph faced off against his brother, Charlottetown defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph, to perform the ceremonial puck drop. Their parents were in attendance.
• The struggling Sea Dogs power play managed to net three goals on the man advantage.
• After recording just four points – one goal and three assists – in the month of November, it was nice to see Spencer Smallman get a goal and an assist in this game.

TURNING POINT

Captain Spencer Smallman scored a big power play goal with just 23.4 seconds left in the second period, a goal that ended up being the game-winner.

SN THREE STARS

1. Spencer Smallman

2. Filip Rydstrom

3. Adam Marsh

TWEET OF THE GAME

He just arrived back in Saint John this weekend after sitting in parliament for the first time.

We are happy to once again support #raisetheroof @intactinsurance @SafeHarbourSJ @SJSeaDogs pic.twitter.com/vmhR1TFkIf

— Wayne Long MP (@WayneLongSJ) December 5, 2015

NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs travel to Moncton to take on the Wildcats on Wednesday where they’ll look to win their first game of the season over their provincial rivals.