RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 5-1

FINAL: Saint John 1, Bathurst 5

BATHURST - A shorthanded Saint John Sea Dogs squad couldn't contain a strong Acadie-Bathurst Titan team on Friday night.

The Sea Dogs recorded just 17 shots on goal - seven of which were listed as dangerous - in a 5-1 loss to the Titan at the KC Irving Regional Centre. Saint John recorded just one shot in the second period.

Mitchell Balmas, Antoine Morand, Olivier Galipeau, German Rubtsov and Marc-Andre LeCouffe scored for Bathurst. Evan Fitzpatrick made 16 saves in the victory.

21 of Bathurst's 40 shots came in the third period.

Cedric Pare scored Saint John's lone goal. Alex D'Orio made 35 stops in the loss.

This game was much closer than the last meeting between the two, but Bathurst was still a step above the Sea Dogs - especially in the final 30 minutes of the game. Saint John, with just 10 forwards dressed, struggled once again to apply much sustained offensive pressure. The Dogs had five power play opportunities in the game but couldn't produce much on any.

Bathurst scored the lone goal of a fairly even first period. Balmas ripped a perfect shot past D'Orio at 6:31 to open the scoring.

The first half of the second period got off to a slow start with neither team generating much offence. The Sea Dogs tied the game at 1-1 at 10:42 when Pare scored on Saint John's first and only shot on goal in the period.

The Titan retook the lead while shorthanded at 13:22 with Morand netting his 18th of the year.

Shots were 10-1 in favour of the Titan in the second period despite Saint John having three power plays.

Galipeau scored 3:40 into the third and then Rubtsov scored at 8:59 to give the Titan a 4-1 advantage. Bathurst had the puck most of the period and rounded out the scoring at 19:33 when a LeCouffe shot hit D'Orio's shoulder and then rolled across the line, making it a 5-1 final.

LINEUP

Here is tonight's lineup for your #SJSeaDogs brought to you by @CantrburyDental #AlwaysWearYourMouthGuard pic.twitter.com/Qqa9hsbDBO

— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SJSeaDogs) January 26, 2018

SCRATCHES
The Sea Dogs were without forwards Cole Reginato (lower body), Matt Green (upper body), Nick Deakin-Poot (upper body), Landon Quinney (upper body) and Ben Reid (upper body).

Goaltender Matt Williams returned to the Sea Dogs' lineup, backing up Alex D'Orio. That was the only lineup change from last Saturday's game.

NOTES
Ben Reid took warm up but did not play... Noah Dobson, who played in Thursday's CHL/NHL Top Prospect Game in Guelph, was a late scratch for the Titan... the game started about 10 minutes late due to a pre-game ceremony... Robbie Burt was injured halfway through the second period and left the game - but returned in the third period. It looked like some sort of leg injury... Alex D'Orio was in some pain in the third period after taking a high shot. He stayed in the game... Jeffrey Truchon-Viel didn't score against the Sea Dogs for a change.

NEXT GAME
The Sea Dogs take on the Halifax Mooseheads at Scotiabank Centre tomorrow at 7 p.m.