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Sunday, February 26, 2017

RECAP: Sea Dogs win 5-3

FINAL: Halifax 3, Saint John 5
SAINT JOHN - It wasn't the prettiest of games, but the Saint John Sea Dogs ended a two-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon at Harbour Station.

Cole Reginato, Nathan Noel, Samuel Dove-McFalls, Matthew Highmore and Bokondji Imama all scored in Saint John's 5-3 victory over the Halifax Mooseheads. Callum Booth made 18 saves in the victory.

Playing without Thomas Chabot and Julien Gauthier once again, the Sea Dogs had troubles getting into a groove in this game and looked a bit flat at times. The Sea Dogs generated just 23 shots in another penalty filled game. Only seven of those shots were considered dangerous by the league.

Maxime Fortier, Keigan Goetz and Jake Coughler scored for Halifax. Alexis Gravel made 18 saves in the loss.

To the notes...

  • The Sea Dogs opened the scoring at 9:40 of the first period when Reginato redirected a shot top corner past Gravel. It was Saint John's first shot of the game.
  • Halifax tied the game at 14:15 with a shorthanded goal. With Alexandre Bernier and Highmore both caught - and Highmore falling down at his defensive blue line - Fortier finished off a nicely executed two-on-none with Nico Hischier to tie the game at 1-1.
  • With 43.6 seconds left in the opening period, Frederic Aube blasted a shot from the line that was deflected by Goetz and past Booth high glove side, giving Halifax their first lead of the afternoon.
  • Noel tied the game with a shorthanded marker at 6:23 of the second period, beating Gravel five hole with a wrist shot.
  • The Mooseheads went to the power play at 9:26 after the Sea Dogs were caught with too many men. On the ensuing man advantage, Halifax retook the lead at 9:06 when Coughler scored.
  • Saint John quickly tied the game once again at 11:06 when Dove-McFalls beat Gravel. That made it a 3-3 game.
  • Imama scored with 8:32 left in the period, but the goal was quickly called off by the officials - although video evidence may disagree.
  • Saint John took a 4-3 lead at 18:03 when Highmore beat Gravel in close, making it 4-3.
  • Noel was given a five-minute major and game misconduct for a check to the head at 5:08 of the third. The Sea Dogs would kill off the penalty, though.
  • In a third period that featured several power plays for both sides, Imama hit the Mooseheads' empty net with 50 seconds remaining, making it a 5-3 final.
  • There were no alternate captains for the Sea Dogs in this game, a move made by head coach Danny Flynn following Friday's ugly loss to Cape Breton.
  • Before the game, former Sea Dogs PA announcer Peter McDevitt, who has been recovering from cancer, performed the ceremonial puck drop.
  • Symphony New Brunswick performed the Hockey Night in Canada TSN Hockey theme song before the game.
  • Oddly, this was Hischier's first game at Harbour Station.
  • With an assist on Reginato's first period goal, Noel now has 200 career QMJHL points.
  • Joseph has been held pointless in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
  • Reginato has goals in back-to-back games and four goals in the month of February.
  • Fortier now leads the league in shorthanded goals with six. Joseph has five.
  • The attendance of 6,011 was a season high for a Sea Dogs home game. It was also sell-out, per the team.
  • After a weekend of basketball, the ice at Harbour Station did not look its best.
  • Highmore appeared to get injured in the final second of the game but did come out for the three stars presentation.

LINEUP
SCRATCHES
The Sea Dogs were without Thomas Chabot (suspension), Bailey Webster (suspension), Landon Quinney and John Warren (upper body).

Highmore was questionable for this game but did play. However, Julien Gauthier, who took warmup and was listed on the team's second line, did not play.

TURNING POINT
The Sea Dogs killing off Nathan Noel's five-minute major in the third period.

SN THREE STARS
1. Nathan Noel
2. Samuel Dove-McFalls
3. Nico Hischier

TWEET OF THE GAME
NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs host the Mooseheads again on Wednesday in a make-up game. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

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