RECAP: Sea Dogs Win 7-2

FINAL: Charlottetown 2, Saint John 7

By Lorne Webster | SN Staff

SAINT JOHN - Two of the QMJHL's hottest teams met at Harbour Station Wednesday evening and the Saint John Sea Dogs came away with a convincing 7-2 win over division rivals, the Charlottetown Islanders.     

The win allowed the Sea Dogs to move two points clear of Moncton for first in the Maritimes Division - with two games still in hand. It was also Saint John's sixth win in seven contests against Charlottetown this season.

Adam Marsh with a pair, Sam Povorozniouk, Joe Veleno, Samuel Dove-McFalls, Mathieu Joseph and Nathan Noel scored for Saint John. Bradley Kennedy replied with a pair for Charlottetown.  

1st Period

Kennedy opened the scoring at 8:11 when he converted on a turnover with a quick backhand through Alex Bishop's legs. Saint John outshot Charlottetown 12-7 in the first period but the Sea Dogs were unable to get a shot past Mason McDonald. 

2nd Period

Just 32 seconds into a wild second period, McDonald made the save of the game when he robbed Povorozniouk with a diving glove stop. At 4:37, Marsh broke down the left wing and unloaded a rocket that beat McDonald low short side. A minute later, Povorozniouk jammed in the rebound of a Noel shot to give the Sea Dogs the lead at 2-1. A short while later, Marsh rang another wrist shot off the crossbar but it stayed out. Kennedy would tie the game at 7:34 when he finished off a nice three-way passing play with a tap in past Bishop. Veleno put the Sea Dogs back in front at 9:56 with a hard wrist shot from the high slot to the top shelf.  Dove-McFalls extended the lead to 4-2 - just over three minutes later - with a long shot, which eluded a screened McDonald. After Dove-McFalls’ goal, Islanders coach Jim Hulton decided to replace McDonald in goal with rookie Matthew Welsh.  

   

3rd Period

3:35 into the third, Marsh's "pro shot" was on display once again when he unleashed another rocket past Welsh on the short side. At 6:44, Daniel Sprong's stick exploded - during an attempted clearing pass - and the puck went to Joseph, who walked into the slot and sent a laser over Welsh's shoulder to make it 6-2. On a power play at 8:19, Noel joined the goal parade with another top shelf effort to set the final score at 7-2.

NOTES

• After a win over Moncton and a tough loss to Victoriaville last week, Saint John fell out of the CHL Top 10 list. QMJHL teams in the Top 10 this week are Val-d'Or (2), Rouyn-Noranda (3) and Shawinigan (8). Saint John and Gatineau earned honorable mentions.
• Nathan Noel is now on a 17-game point streak while Matthew Highmore and Sam Povorozniouk have points in 12 straight.
• The Sea Dogs continue to have a long list of players out of the lineup: Thomas Chabot, Spencer Smallman, Marc-Antoine Turcotte and Bailey Webster are all out with upper body injuries. Meanwhile, Daniel Del Paggio is serving the second of a three game suspension for hitting Conor Garland last Wednesday.  
• 2015 first round draft choice Alex D'Orio has joined the Sea Dogs from Magog (Quebec MAAA) in Turcotte's absence.
• The Islanders were missing Fredericton native Luc Deschenes, Andrew Smith and Carl Gervais.
• The Aaron Kennedy call of the game - "... he Sprong a leak". 
• Attendance at Harbour Station: 3,292.
• Elsewhere in the Maritimes Division on Wednesday - BAC 3 - CAP 10 and HAL 0 - GAT 6

TURNING POINT

Goals by Joe Veleno and Samuel Dove-McFalls just over three minutes apart midway through the second period put the Sea Dogs on a solid path to victory.

HIT OF THE GAME

Bokondji Imama proved to be a near unmovable object on a few occasions in this contest. 

SN PLAYERS OF THE GAME

Adam Marsh

Nathan Noel

Matt Murphy

NEXT GAME

The Sea Dogs return to Harbour Station on Saturday to face the Baie-Comeau Drakkar at 7 p.m. 

Photo: Marc Henwood/Station Nation