RECAP: Sea Dogs lose 6-1

FINAL: Halifax 6, Saint John 1

SAINT JOHN - Even without two of their top forwards, the Halifax Mooseheads proved to be too much for the Saint John Sea Dogs on Sunday afternoon at Harbour Station.

The Mooseheads scored four times in the second period en route to a 6-1 victory over the Sea Dogs. The game was Saint John's final home contest of the regular season.

The two teams played an uneventful first period and the early goings of the middle frame were the same. Arnaud Durandeau's goal at 11:27 of the second seemed to open the floodgates as the Moose went on to score three goals in just over three minutes of action.

Saint John struggled to get steady offensive chances going, firing just 15 shots on goal in the game - which included just two in the third period.

Durandeau scored a pair of goals for Halifax while singles came from Ben Higgins, Jared McIsaac, Xavier Parent and former Sea Dog Ostap Safin. Alexis Gravel made 14 saves in the win.

Benjamin Gagne scored for Saint John. Mikhail Denisov made 41 stops in the loss.

The Sea Dogs remain one point back of the Shawinigan Cataractes for the final playoff spot. The team's three remaining games will take place on the road this week.

LINEUP

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without forwards Yohan Plamondon (injured) and Christian Clark (healthy); and defensemen Brendan Sibley (injured).

NOTES: The Sea Dogs honoured their three overage players - goaltender Mikhail Denisov and defensemen Michael Campoli and Benjamin Gagne - before the game... the Mooseheads were without two of their best players in Antoine Morand and Raphael Lavoie. Both were injured Saturday night in Moncton... Ostap Safin played against his former team for the first time. Before playing Saturday in Moncton, Safin had not played since Nov. 25 due to a lower body injury. Safin scored his first goal since Nov. 10... affiliates Carson Gallant and Jordan Spadafore were both in the Saint John lineup... Benjamin Gagne scored Saint John's first shorthanded goal of the year in the second period. No QMJHL team has gone an entire year without scoring a shorthanded goal...the attendance of 6,098 was Saint John's biggest home crowd of the year... Arnaud Durandeau now has eight goals in seven games against Saint John this year... the Sea Dogs take on the Mooseheads again next Friday in Halifax.

HIGHLIGHTS


NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs take on the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Wednesday night in Sydney.