RECAP: Sea Dogs Win 5-3

FINAL: Saint John 5, Bathurst 3

By Kevin Chambers | SN Staff

BATHURST – The Saint John Sea Dogs are now just a single point back of the Moncton Wildcats for the Maritimes Division lead.

Following a 5-3 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan tonight at the KC Irving Regional Centre, the Sea Dogs have picked up at least a point in 14 straight games (12-0-2). They now find themselves just a single point back of Moncton and, depending on how the Wildcats fare tomorrow against the Titan, could take over first place on Wednesday.

Matthew Highmore, Sam Povorozniouk, Joe Veleno, Mathieu Joseph and Matt Green all scored for Saint John on Saturday. Jason Bell, Jordan Maher and Daniil Miromanov replied for the Titan. Marc-Antoine Turcotte made 29 saves in the win while Reilly Pickard made 26 in the loss.

It was a rough start for the Sea Dogs in this one as Bell was able to cash in on his own rebound early in the opening period to give the Titan an early 1-0 lead.  Maher would extend the Titan lead to 2-0 with a power play goal at 11:26. The Sea Dogs would return the favour though, denting the twine with a power play marker of their own when Highmore lifted a shot over Pickard for his 18th of the season at 14:18.

At 5:10 of the second, Povorozniouk scored his 25th goal of the season, firing a wrist shot past Pickard from the high slot to even the game at 2-2. Saint John thought they scored the go ahead goal when Kyle Ward went upstairs on Pickard soon after but it was called off due to an offside. The Dogs wouldn’t be denied though at 16:42 when Veleno tipped home a Matt Murphy shot to, putting Saint John ahead 3-2. Just over a minute after the Veleno goal, it was Joseph scoring his 25th marker of the season by jumping on a juicy rebound and shooting the puck over a downed Pickard to make it 4-2 after 40 minutes.

The third period started off much like the second with the Sea Dogs killing a penalty to Nathan Noel - but the difference was Matt Green scoring a shorthanded goal at 1:03 to make it 5-2. The Titan would add a late goal off the stick of Miromanov, which pulled the Titan within two. That could be as close as Bathurst would get, though.

NOTES

• Scratches for Saint John: Adam Marsh (upper body), Bailey Webster (upper body), Samuel Dove-McFalls (lower body) and Gabriel Bettez (healthy). According to the 96.1 NewSong FM Sea Dogs pre-game show, Dove-McFalls’ injury is minor and not related to his knee.
• Bokondji Imama played in his first game after serving a 15-game suspension.
• Luke Green also made his return to the lineup after playing in the BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Thursday in Vancouver.
• Today was Thomas Chabot’s 19^th birthday.
• Nathan Noel has picked up at least a point in every game since December 18^th, making it 14 straight games with at least a point.
• Matthew Highmore also extended his point streak to nine straight games.
• Spencer Smallman was hurt in the first period after being driven into the turnbuckle.
• Both Mathieu Joseph and Sam Povorozniouk scored their 25th goals of the season - which lead the team.

TURNING POINT

Joe Veleno and Mathieu Joseph scoring two quick goals late in the second period, which gave the Sea Dogs a two-goal cushion.

SN THREE STARS

1. Nathan Noel

2. Luke Green

3. Jordan Maher

TWEET OF THE GAME

It came pre-game, but giving it to former Sea Dogs tough guy Mitchell Dempsey for his birthday shout out to Thomas Chabot.

Happy birthday bud @ThomasChabot1 Miss u pic.twitter.com/BqLgLX3Bm5

— Mitch Dempsey (@mitchdempsey95) January 30, 2016

NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs will enjoy a few days off before travelling to Moncton to take on the Wildcats on Wednesday. The game could be a battle for first place in the division pending the results from tomorrow’s game between the ‘Cats and Titan.

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation