Recap: Sea Dogs lose 8-5

FINAL: Saint John 5, Shawinigan 8

SHAWINIGAN, Que. - An old demon paid the Saint John Sea Dogs a visit on Tuesday night and it proved to be costly.

Saint John's penalty kill issues, which have relatively low key over the past couple weeks, came back to life in a big way with the team surrendering three power play goals in a back-and-forth 8-5 loss to the Shawinigan Cataractes at Centre Gervais Auto.

Shawinigan's first three goals of the game all came on the power play as the Sea Dogs simply couldn't get their defense sorted out. It was a frustrating night as the Dogs kept fighting all game long to grab momentum - only to give it up just a couple minutes later.

The Sea Dogs led 2-1 in the first but that proved to be their only lead of the night. They never trailed by more than two goals (until the final minute) and got back within one a couple times - but they couldn't keep the puck out of their own net. It's a result we've seen many times this season where the team let a good offensive performance slip away.

Jeremie Poirier had another big night, recording a goal and three assists. Alex Drover, Brady Burns, Nicholas Deakin-Poot and Maxim Cajkovic also scored. Zachary Bouthillier, who was pulled in the first period of Saint John's lone visit in Shawinigan last season, allowed seven goals on 41 shots in the loss.

Xavier Bourgault recorded a hat trick for Shawinigan while singles came from Gabriel Denis, Mikael Robidoux, Charles Beaudoin and Mavrik Bourque. Antoine Coulombe made 30 stops in the win.

The loss brought Saint John's season best winning streak to a halt at three games. They have two more games on this Quebec road trip before returning home.

LINEUP

SCRATCHES: The Sea Dogs were without goaltender Noah Pateneaude (injured); defensemen Patrick Musico; and forwards Alexis Belisle, Ben Badalamenti, Jeremie Jacob and Julian Vander Voet. Badalamenti was the last scratch.

NOTES: The Sea Dogs went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen once again... Nicolas Guay scored at the buzzer of the first period but time had expired... Shawinigan's Mavrik Bourque extended his point streak to eight games and his goal streak to five... Guay, Aiden MacIntosh and Maxim Cajkovic each had two assists... Joshua Roy returned from the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge... Jeremie Poirier tied a career high for points in a game (four)... this was the sixth time this season the Sea Dogs scored five or more goals in a loss... Shawinigan ended a four-game losing streak.

NEXT GAME: The Sea Dogs visit the Val-d'Or Foreurs on Thursday at 8 p.m.